What’s on during the Paralympic Games

The London 2012 Paralympic Games now underway after a spectacular opening ceremony. But, if you didn’t manage to get tickets to any of the sporting events and don’t want to miss out on all of the action, then check out this handy guide to what else you can get up to:

The London Mayor’s Liberty Festival: September 1st-3rd
The annual London Mayor’s Liberty Festival features top deaf and disabled artists from the UK and overseas and 2012 marks 10 years of the festival. Liberty 2012 will take place at several locations on the first weekend of the Paralympic Games, including the National Theatre and the Southbank Centre.

Highlights include local and international DJs taking to the stage at Riverside Terrace at the Southbank Centre on September 1st, alongside a visual art installation by visually impaired UK artist Sally Booth and the BT London Live event in Trafalgar Square where visitors can enjoy jazz, blues and R&B music from award-winning singer Lizzie Emeh of Heart n Soul and Finnish sign song superstar Sign Mark. 

Unlimited Festival: August 30th-September 9th
Bringing together all 29 Unlimited commissions, the Unlimited Festival is an opportunity to discover groundbreaking new works spanning diverse artforms by deaf and disabled artists, including dance and performance, visual arts, comedy, circus, music and theatre.

Highlights include The Dean Rodney Singers – an ambitious digital music collaboration between 72 disabled and non-disabled musicians; Ménage a Trois, a hauntingly beautiful piece of dance theatre exploring performer and choreographer Claire Cunningham’s 20-year relationship with her crutches and Marc Brew Company’s Fusional Fragments – a double-bill evening blending classical ballet and contemporary dance, featuring the Grammy Award-winning percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie.

Thames Festival: September 8th-9th
One of Europe's best free festivals, the Thames Festival – in its 16th year – will coincide with the closing weekend of the Paralympic Games to celebrate the end of an incredible summer for London.

Over 800,000 Londoners will be celebrating the rich cultural diversity of the capital with music, dance, interactive art, performances and an illuminated Night Carnival and river-based fireworks extravaganza. The HMS Belfast will be the stage for an unforgettable choral performance, Tower Bridge will be the backdrop for a day of awe-inspiring acrobatic prowess by Circolombia and the festival will mark the passing of the Olympic Games from London to Rio with the UK’s largest ever Rio-Style carnival float.

On Sunday evening the weekend will culminate in the iconic illuminated Night Carnival, which brings together over 1,500 dancers, drummers and masqueraders along London’s Victoria Embankment, followed a river-based firework spectacular against the London skyline.

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