Free Weekend Fun in Vauxhall

If you’re feeling vocal, the folks at Be In Vauxhall are once again hosting ‘Bearpit Karaoke’ this weekend. The press release describes it as ‘attracting huge crowds each month of both professional and non professional singers’. We walked by it last month and at first didn’t know if was Karaoke or some kind of weird spiritual revival. But it looked fun, and this year Mother Kelly’s and Bokit’la (Oval Market) French Caribbean will be on board with stalls amongst other great foodie offerings.

Bearpit Karaoke takes place this Saturday (8th) from 4 to 8 and then on every second Saturday of the month over the summer. Free tickets can be nabbed here. It’s located at that sketchy bit at the end of the Pleasure Gardens where you indeed might be accustomed to seeing people singing, but for once it won’t be men on their own bursting into song while gripping a bottle of ‘White Lightning’ or Swifties at the altar of the Black Dog.

We’ve been told that this is not, in fact, Catherine Tate

Also gracing Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens this summer is the Be In Vauxhall Summer Screen. If the weather obliges it’s a great way to spend a weeknight and enjoy knees up and singalong with your mates.  Our diverse office pool of subterranean misfits will be watching Barbie, but might opt for the marginally more butch Moulin Rouge. 

9 JUL AT 7PM – ENCANTO | BOOK YOUR SPACE

16 JUL AT 7PM – BARBIE | BOOK YOUR SPACE

23 JUL AT 7PM – MEN IN BLACK | BOOK YOUR SPACE

30 JUL AT 7PM – MOULIN ROUGE | BOOK YOUR SPACE

All of these nights look like great fun but please be aware that they don’t really kick off until about 8:30pm after the sun sets. Tickets are free and according to the website should be booked. Having said that, we’re not really sure why you need to book a place at either of these events as you can take part by sitting on a car bonnet or off a tree limb, so just turn up. It’s not like we expect Runoff readers to oblige by the rules. 

Victorian Vauxhall

Fun Things to do Over the Bank Holiday #1

In the past we haven’t really covered this annual Greater Kennington event in Spring Gardens in Vauxhall because we thought it looked a bit corny and was geared towards kids. However, it seems more interesting this year by the breadth of activities and the involvement of the great pub  Jolly Gardeners and the lovely (but overpriced) beer hall Mother Kellys

The press release states that Victorian Vauxhall will ‘recreate the magic of the past with captivating performances, vintage displays and fun for all ages’. Also holding fort will be jesters, acrobats, a regency hair salon (!), and someone intriguingly called a ‘Bubbleologist’. And we’re sure many good local food stalls will be available to keep you full.  The press release also excitedly mentions the chance to go sky high in a hot air balloon. But to be honest, if you want to see people sky high in Vauxhall all you really need to do is stroll over there on any random Saturday night. 

Victorian Vauxhall is this Saturday, the 26th from 2 to 7 and is totally free. When we were sent the photo below our initial thought was that these men must be promoting some new fetish night at a Vauxhall nightclub. As it turns out, they’re portraying Victorian bodybuilders and they will also be present.