A taste of a bit of a do

12 October 2023

Billed as comedy, cabaret and creativity, A Bit of a Do –  the annual festival curated by accessible arts charity Drunken Chorus – returns to Croydon next week, from 18–28 October. We caught up...
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Gliding over Croydon

5 October 2023

Last week I took to the skies of Croydon and crossed off an activity that’s long been on my bucket list. No, not a plane or a helicopter or even a hot air balloon,...
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This is Croydonites

28 September 2023

It’s nearly that time of year when our favourite theatre and performance festival returns to Croydon. That’s right, Croydonites Festival is back this Autumn from 2 to 18 November bringing us some awesome theatre...
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This is the Croydon Music Heritage Trail

20 September 2023

Last Saturday we joined a Croydon Music Heritage Trail tour around the centre of Croydon. We (along with a dozen or so other walkers) met our three friendly guides from the Museum of Croydon...
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An exquisite Elodie experience

14 September 2023

One balmy evening last week Julia and our guest writer Lisa visited Elodie for dinner – Birch Selsdon’s new signature restaurant with food by Michelin-starred chef, Lee Westcott. Lisa: My visit was a whole lot...
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Croydon is open

7 September 2023

September, the start of autumn and the last of those glorious warm evenings before the weather turns and the darker evenings set in… it’s one of my favourite months of the year, but not...
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This is Carnival of Invention

28 August 2023

There’s another carnival coming to Croydon, but this is a carnival with a difference, as its theme is invention (yes you heard right). On Sunday 10 September the Carnival of Invention will be taking...
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This is Liberty

24 August 2023

The next London Borough of Culture festival on our radar is Liberty. The free arts festival celebrating the work of deaf, disabled and neurodivergent artists hits our town for three days from Friday 1...
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This is Croydon Stands Tall

17 August 2023

You may remember back in February us talking about giraffes covered in art roaming our streets. No? Well if not see here. Since then Croydon BID and Wild in Art (who are the organisations...
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This is Purley Community Festival

10 August 2023

It’s great to hear that Croydon’s festival season continues beyond August. Now we’re nearing the halfway mark of the school summer holidays, I’m scanning the September calendar for events to look forward to.  One...
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In good company

3 August 2023

I continue to be surprised and impressed by the number of names linked to Croydon; famous actors, musicians, inventors, activists, writers… the list goes on. So this week dear readers, in my research I...
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This is Croydon Carnival

26 July 2023

Summer festival season is well underway in Croydon, and this year because we’re the London Borough of Culture (in case you didn’t know 🙂) the festivals are coming at us thicker and faster than...
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Glass half full

19 July 2023

It’s been a few years since we last caught up with MD of Signal Brewery Charlie Luckin. Tucked around the corner from Therapia Lane Tram Stop and Croydon Ikea, Signal have been busy expanding...
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This is Pride and Mela

12 July 2023

This weekend is a busy one with free* double festival fun in Wandle Park. Croydon PrideFest returns this Saturday (15 July) and Croydon Mela is back on Sunday (16 July). This year both festivals...
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The wilder side of Croydon

6 July 2023

Earlier this week we headed to Thornton Heath Library for the launch of the Rural Croydon exhibition by artist, photographer and writer Ameena Rojee. Commissioned by This Is Croydon in partnership with The National...
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CR0 Summer Exhibition

29 June 2023

Last week I headed to a new art gallery in town – well a new gallery to me anyway, because actually Croydon Art Space has been just a short walk from East Croydon Station, on...
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50 years of Orleta

22 June 2023

This week we catch up with the award-winning founder, choreographer, and artistic director of Orleta Polish Dance Company, Basia Klimas-Sawyer, to find out about the company’s upcoming 50th anniversary concert. On Saturday 1 July,...
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This is Recognition

15 June 2023

I was excited to see Talawa’s new production, Recognition, earlier this week, which forms part of the This Is Croydon programme. Written by Amanda Wilkin and directed by Rachael Nanyonjo, Recognition parallels the stories...
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David, meet Joanna

8 June 2023

Earlier this week I popped along to the Arts Bar, which, if you are unfamiliar, is the bar connected to the David Lean Cinema, in the Clocktower complex. I was there at the invitation...
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Reset, recreate, rewild

1 June 2023

Last week we had the pleasure of heading to Croydon’s ‘newest’ hotel in Selsdon. Us seasoned locals will likely always think of the location as Selsdon Park Hotel, but what was last De Vere...
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