WhereCanWeGo Logo

Back

This is a Past Event and has been archived.

Click Here for Current Events in this Area.

Bankside’s Frost Fair

Better Bankside launches its inaugural modern day ‘Frost Fair’ – a homage to the area’s unique history, celebrating the characters and fascinating stories from past winters in the Southwark borough.

Between 1605 and 1814, the surface of the River Thames froze over 24 times, bringing all trade on the water to a standstill. The people of Bankside turned catastrophe into opportunity, creating pleasure grounds known as the ‘Frost Fair’, hosting markets, selling food and drink, organising gambling and games on the ice, and guiding tourists across the frozen water.

Inspired by the area's rich heritage and its lively characters, Bankside will be reinventing these strange happenings, through a series of innovative augmented reality (AR) installations, street art murals, animations, cinematic film and AI collaborative digital art, located throughout the area, as well as events, workshops and food & drink experiences.

Bankside’s Frost Fair will officially launch at 18.14 on Thursday 1 December, with the revealing of the spectacular moving image and AR enlivened artworks that reference one of the Frost Fairs strangest tales. Legend has it that when the Thames last froze over in 1814, an elephant was walked across the ice, adding an unforgettable spectacle to the Frost Fair.

Visitors to the event will also be able to relive scenes from these historical winters and reveal layers of information about the Frost Fair, the artists and their inspiration behind the artworks through the use of AR on their phones, via the Graffio Arts app whilst also accessing Frost Fair inspired food and drink promotions at Bankside’s many restaurants and bars.

A specially curated street art trail will be revealed in the borough on Thursday 1 December where visitors will find murals displaying historical scenes and modern interpretations of the Frost Fair fromrenowned street artists Mr Cenz, Dreph, Nomad Clan and Peachzz.
From 1 December 2022 – 31 January 2023

Bankside’s Frost Fair will officially launch at 18.14 on Thursday 1 December
Bankside, Southwark, London
Thu 1 Dec to Sat 31 Dec 2022
This is a Past Event and has been archived.

Click Here for Current Events in this Area.