Spitalfields Festival 2007

Spitalfields is an area of London’s East End, east of Liverpool Street and the Commercial Road and today is the start of its three week Spitalfields Festival featuring music and events at a range of venues including Wilton’s Music Hall, Christ Church Spitalfields, Shoreditch Church, Crispin Place in the new Spitalfields Market, the Brady Arts and Community Centre and the London Chest Hospital.

Spitalfields and the area around Brick Lane still retain the look and feel of streets in Victorian London and its also been a place heavily influenced by immigration through the centuries with French Huguenots, followed by European Jews, Bangladeshis and Somalians. The festival programme put together by artistic director Diana Burrell includes classical music, jazz, samba, traditional Bangladeshi music from the local community as well as specially commissioned music for the festival.

The festival runs from 5-22 June and many of the performances are free to attend with quite a few on in the early afternoon. As well as the concerts and gigs there are a number of walks and talks lookng at different aspects of Spitalfields. Its worth checking out a part of old London that still has plenty of character and some unique venues for a show.