Update Emails

Festival Registration is between 2 pm and 5 pm on Monday 28th May in the Codrington Room at the Corinthia Hotel, Whitehall Place, London SW1A 2BD. Telephone: +44(0) 207 930 8181.

Update sent to all participants on May 16th.

The pre-tours are due to start in a few days time, and the Festival itself is nearly upon us. I sent out an email update to everyone on 16th April, but some people do not seem to have received it, so it is now available for your convenience on the IWFS web site. You can access it via the links on the left hand side of the London Festival home page.

You will be issued with a very comprehensive printed Festival programme when you register on Monday 28th May.
As at other recent festivals, there is an ‘app’ which can be used on a PC, tablet or mobile phone, with details of the London Festival programme, and maps and contact details for the major venues.

For access, open this link  http://www.iwfs.london/london-festival-2018   on the device that you want to use. Once the Festival 2018 menu appears, you can add it to your Favourites, or better still add a shortcut on your home screen. (On an Apple Device, the menu to do this is accessed via the symbol with a square and upward-pointing arrow at the bottom of the page. On most Android devices it is via the symbol with three vertical dots at the top right of the screen.)

A number of you have asked about dress codes for the various events. This information is available via either of the above links, but for your convenience I am summarising it here.

Corinthia Inaugural Dinner: Black Tie or Formal National Dress preferred. Smart Business attire acceptable if you have not had time to unpack!.
Merchant Taylors' Tasting and Lunch: Smart Casual
Dine Around: Smart Casual
Hurlingham Tasting and Lunch: Smart Casual. Some walking will be involved so please wear comfortable shoes.
Walks: Casual, but please wear shoes that are appropriate for walking on city streets.
Eltham Palace Dinner: Black Tie or Formal National Dress (1930s dress optional). No stilettos or kitten heels.
Forman's Tour and Lunch: Casual but you may find the factory cold and the floor slippery so please wear suitable layers and sensible closed shoes.
Goldsmiths' Gala Dinner: Black Tie or Formal National Dress and Society medallions.

We are looking forward to welcoming you to the Festival.

With kind regards
Stephanie Shepherd
Chairman of the London 2018 International Festival Committee

Update sent to all Participants on April 15th

A number of Festival participants have asked if we can give them a timetable to help them plan their time in London. We will not be publishing the full Festival schedule until much nearer the time, but in the meantime you may find the following helpful.

Monday 21st May
8.00am Champagne Experience coach leaves Bayswater Coach Park. A full Itinerary and joining instructions will be sent to those involved.

Tuesday 22nd May
Irish Delights participants meet in Dublin. Registration 3.00pm - 5.00pm at the Merrion Hotel reception.

Friday 25th May
8.30pm Champagne Experience group returns to London. The coach will drop members at the Corinthia but will also go on to the Bayswater Coach Park. If you are not staying at the Corinthia you may prefer to go there. Please let Julian White know where you want to be dropped when you board the coach in Reims.

Saturday 26th May
5.00pm Tea at Westminster Abbey for those registered for the Purcell Tour and Tea.
6.45pm Purcell Tour group meets at Westminster Abbey. Joining instructions will be sent to those who have registered. Please remember that the floors in the Abbey are uneven and the tour will take two hours. You should wear comfortable shoes.

Sunday 27th May
No Festival activities in London.
Irish Delights participants make their own way back from Cork.

Monday 28th May
10.00am IWFS Council Meeting at the In & Out Club, 4 St James Square, for Council members only.
2.00pm - 5.00pm Festival Registration in the Codrington Room at the Corinthia Hotel. All participants will need to register and collect their festival materials, whether staying at the Corinthia or not.
6.30pm Champagne Reception and Dinner at the Corinthia Hotel. The Reception will take place in the Courtroom and the dinner in the Ballroom. For those not staying at the hotel the ballroom entrance on Whitehall Place is the one to use.
Dress Code: Black Tie or national formal dress but smart business attire acceptable

Tuesday 29th May
Please note that all coaches during Festival week will leave from and return to the Corinthia Hotel; it is your responsibility to be at the hotel at the appointed departure time. The coaches will not wait.
Festival Activities all day. André Simon Lecture and wine tasting with Oz Clarke, followed by lunch. Dress code: smart casual.
Dinner at one of three restaurants; dress code – smart casual. Festival attendees will be allocated to one of the three restaurants.

Wednesday 30th May
Festival Activities until 5.00pm. Wine tasting followed by lunch at The Hurlingham Club. Dress code - smart casual. Please be aware when choosing footwear that we will be travelling by boat and that some walking will be involved.
There will be a late afternoon opportunity to tour the Naval and Military Club (In and Out) for those who wish to do so. Gentlemen may need to wear a tie. Please let Stephanie know if you would like to take part, if you have not already done so.
Free. Evening

Thursday 31st May
Festival Activities all day. Morning walks programme: dress code - casual.
1930’s themed dinner at Eltham Palace in the evening: dress code Black Tie or national formal dress. Ladies are particularly asked not to wear stilettos or kitten heeled shoes. You will be asked to take them off indoors if you do to protect the wooden floors. Also we will be travelling by boat and some walking will be involved. We will have the opportunity to explore the gardens before dinner, and ladies may prefer to wear cocktail dresses, as long dresses could be difficult to manage on the garden paths.

Friday 1st June
Festival Activities all day.
Morning visit to Formans of Fish Island with lunch: dress code - casual.
Gala Dinner at Goldsmiths Livery Hall: dress code - Black Tie or national formal dress. Society medals should be worn. This is one event to which you may wish to bring a small camera.

Saturday 2nd June and Sunday 3rd June
No Festival Activities.

Monday 4th June
Sussex and Hampshire Wineries Tour and Gourmet London Tour begin. Joining instructions will be sent to participants in due course.
Travelling into London from Gatwick or Heathrow Airports
It is of course possible to travel into central London by taxi from either of the main airports at Gatwick and Heathrow. The journey from Gatwick will take about 1 hr. 50 minutes and the journey from Heathrow about 1 hour, depending on traffic. It is possible to book a car on-line at www.airporttaxis-uk.co.uk. Using their on-line fare calculator the cost is likely to be about £92.00 return from Heathrow or £123.00 return from Gatwick. The cost will vary depending on how many are in your party and the amount of luggage they are bringing. London Black Cabs also operate at both airports but are likely to be more expensive. Taxi drivers will expect a tip (service charge).
Alternatively there are rail services from both airports. The Heathrow Express runs from the airport to Paddington Station and takes about 15 mins. The fare is £37.00 - £55.00 return per person.
The Gatwick Express comes into Victoria Station and takes about 30 mins. The fare is about £40.00 return per person. It is possible to travel from Paddington or Victoria to Embankment Station by the underground, but you will probably prefer to take a taxi particularly if you have a lot of heavy luggage. There are clearly signed taxi ranks at both stations.

We are looking forward to seeing you at the Festival.

With kind regards
Stephanie Shepherd
Chairman of the London Festival 2018 Committee