Open House Festival

Bartholomew's Fayre: Smithfield Rotunda Garden

Smithfield Rotunda Garden, West Smithfield, EC1A 9DY

Join us for Bartholomew Fayre: Power to the People, a FREE bold and brilliant grassroots community festival, celebrating creativity, history, activism and togetherness. Across two-jam packed days, we’ll be taking over Smithfield with an exciting mix of hands-on art, thought-provoking talks, walking tours and live performances inspired by the anarchic joyousness of the original Bartholomew Fair.

Getting there

Tube

Barbican

Train

Farringdon

Bus

100

Additional travel info

The Fayre will take place across the Smithfield Rotunda Garden and Great St Barts.

Access

Facilities

Create a free visitor account to book festival tickets

Drop in activities

Fri 19 Sep

18:00–20:00

Drop in: Protest Poster Making

Join Marx Memorial library for a workshop creating your very own protest posters, inspired by their collection.

Sat 20 Sep

11:00–19:00

Drop in: Play Cycles with London Museum

London Museum will be bringing their Play Cycles, with arts, crafts and loose parts play suitable for all ages.

11:00–19:00

Drop in: Puppet making with Little Angel Theatre

Create your very own puppets with the Little Angel Theatre.

12:00–18:00

Drop in: Face Painting

Drop in festival face painting!

13:00–14:00

Drop in: Zine Making with Assemblage Collective

Join Assemblage Collective for this manifesto zine-making workshop all about expressing yourself and your ideas for a better world!

16:30–17:15

Drop in: Medics, Monks, Meat and Martyrs

Medics, Monks, Meat and Martyrs: A walk with the City of London Guides.

Activities

Fri 19 Sep

Walking tour

16:00–16:45

Fashion History of Smithfield

Take a look at Smithfield’s stylish history, from ancient livery companies to a 19th century fashion hub.

How to book

Please create a free visitor account to book your festival tickets.

Walking tour

17:30–18:15

Radical Clerkenwell

A quiet walk taking in sites associated with radical events and people across Smithfield and Clerkenwell.

How to book

Please create a free visitor account to book your festival tickets.

Walking tour

18:30–19:15

Medics, Monks, Meat and Martyrs

Medics, Monks, Meat and Martyrs: A walk with the City of London Guides.

How to book

Please create a free visitor account to book your festival tickets.

Sat 20 Sep

Walking tour

11:00–11:45

Medics, Monks, Meat and Martyrs

Medics, Monks, Meat and Martyrs: A walk with the City of London Guides.

How to book

Please create a free visitor account to book your festival tickets.

Workshop

11:00–13:00

Graffiti workshop

A practical graffiti and tagging workshop with Adam Makowiecki.

How to book

Please create a free visitor account to book your festival tickets.

Workshop

11:00–12:00

Zine Making with Assemblage Collective

Join Assemblage Collective for this manifesto zine-making workshop, all about expressing yourself and your ideas for a better world!

How to book

Please create a free visitor account to book your festival tickets.

Walking tour

12:45–13:30

A Walk Round the Back Streets of Smithfield

Alec Forshaw, conservationist, historian & author, will lead a walk of Smithfield's streets to look at 3 of the great religious institutions

How to book

Please create a free visitor account to book your festival tickets.

Workshop

14:00–16:00

Queer Poetry Workshop

Queer poetry workshop with Nick Field

How to book

Please create a free visitor account to book your festival tickets.

Workshop

14:00–15:00

Protest Poster Making with Ruan Murphy

Explore collaging and stencilling to create your own protest poster with artist and printmaker Ruan Murphy.

How to book

Please create a free visitor account to book your festival tickets.

Workshop

15:30–16:30

Protest Poster Making with Ruan Murphy

Explore collaging and stencilling to create your own protest poster with artist and printmaker Ruan Murphy.

How to book

Please create a free visitor account to book your festival tickets.

About

St Bartholomew's Fayre: Power to the People

A radical community festival for all ages

Join us for Bartholomew Fayre: Power to the People, a FREE bold and brilliant grassroots community festival, celebrating creativity, activism and togetherness. Across two-jam packed days, we’ll be taking over Smithfield with an exciting mix of hands-on workshops, thought-provoking talks, walking tours and live performances.

Get stuck into everything from zine making and puppet building to queer poetry, eco-friendly crafting, graffiti art, loose parts play and loads more. Whether you’re 7 or 77 there’s something for everyone - families, friends, solo wanderers, curious minds, and seasoned radicals alike.

Expect laughter, learning, big ideas, and brilliant people. Come to create, connect, share stories, and celebrate the power of our community.

Everyone’s welcome. Everything’s possible. Power to the people!

Locations

Activities for the Fayre will take place across the Smithfield Rotunda Garden, the Great St Barts and the surrounding areas. If you are coming to the Fayre for a pre-booked activity, please check the exact location on your booking. If you're dropping in, head to the Smithfield Rotunda Garden so an exciting programme of drop in activities!

Credits

Bartholomew’s Fayre is delivered by London Museum, Barts Heritage, Great St Barts Bartholomew’s Hospital and Culture Mile Bid.

The Fayre is supported by Culture Mile Business Improvement District (BID), The Smithfield Market Tenants Association, The City of London Corporation’s Community Infrastructure Levy Neighbourhood Fund and with public funding by Arts Council England.

Online presence

www.londonmuseum.org.uk

Nearby

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