Free London – Saturday 11th – Sunday 12th July

We’re adding a new weekly (hopefully) feature to the void. With free festivals under threat due to excessive regulation and let’s face it, Boris, we’ve decided to offer up a weekly round up of the best London has to offer for free this weekend.

Complimenting our Free London Festival listings this will be completely non-partisan so if it’s politics you want then look elsewhere.

First up some politics.

(just in case you missed it)

And now some culture. The Hayward Gallery is celebrating it’s 40th Anniversary in an event which is neither free nor this weekend. It is only 40p however and is happening from 10am to 10pm tomorrow (Friday 10th July). With the interstingly titled Psycho Buildings plus of likely interest to void readers Street Posters from the Paris Rebellion this represents a major saving from the whopping tenner it usually costs to get in.

The weekend sees a host of Free Festivals across the capital.  On Saturday Lewisham People’s Day 2008 is being held in Mountsfield Park and features six stages including hip hop star Ty and laid back groovesters Red Snapper.

Another fine line-up South of the river is secured for Croydon’s World Party also on Saturday in Lloyd Park.  Finley Quaye and the Stereo MCs are on the main stage with Continental Drift favourites the Le Vagabond Boogaloo Club featuring DJs Spindrift and Nelson Dilation playing a mix of ‘gypsy licks and Latin kicks!’ elsewhere.

Croydon Festival continues on Sunday, same time, same place, with Croydon Mela featuring Trickbaby and Sukshinder Shinda.

Even the rarely visited by most, Thamesmead has a festival on Saturday where the no less than legendary Hot Chocolate will be playing alongside Booty Luv and Jaki Graham.

Head to Birchmere Park, Thamesmead from 10am.

So for once the fine folk of South London are spoilt for choice.  North of the river isn’t to be left out however.  The ever-worthy Diaspora Music Village takes place in Hyde Park with 20 artists and bands from across the world playing over both Saturday and Sunday just North of the Serpentine.

Then on Sunday it’s the much discussed Rise, London not against racism festival in Finsbury Park.  Will Boris dare turn up?, Will the over policing and daft rules we’ve already seen at the Love Music Hate Racism Carnival and Stokefest spoil the day?  Will we all end up piss wet through and slaughtered drunk like last year?

It’s anyone’s guess, but what we do know is that the main stage is set to feature CSS, along with reggae legend Jimmy Cliff, the Dub Pistols and having a busy weekend, the aforementioned Ty.

Meanwhile over on the Trojan Sound System running the DJ Stage, Alex Patterson and Jerry Dammers (who are both apparantly too cool to have myspace pages) will be pulling in the punters.  Across the other stages Kelly Le Roc and Bashy are appearing alongside Ghanaian rising stars Tinny and Tic Tacwith Los Desterrados on the Global Local Stage all worth seeking out.

With a line up like that it remains to be seen if it’s possible for Boris and his chums to trash the party.