Kingston's six-month cultural event, Kingston 2025, is starting next Saturday, 3 May.

The flagship celebration marks the 1100th anniversary of the crowning of Athelstan, first King of a united England, right in the heart of Kingston in 1925.

Kingston 2025 will officially open with a one-off outdoor musical show in Kingston Ancient Market Place. This free, family event is inspired by the area's rich heritage and delivered with a contemporary twist. 

At 12pm, The opening performances will showcase the best local talent across K-pop, drumming, and dancing. 

At 1.45pm, Ukrainian brass band Freedom Pulse will warm up the crowd. 

At 2:30pm – Taking to the stage will be Athelstan Among Us, a family-friendly show featuring music, dance, and comedy - a riotous whizz through a thousand years of Kingston's history.

The show is specially written for the opening of Kingston 2025 and is a one-off performance not to be missed. 

Other festival highlights coming up include :

• 28 June: Bridging Kingston - 150 school children perform a specially commissioned music piece at the Rose Theatre .
• 16 May – 10 January: Kingston Glamour Exhibition: Art, Innovation and the Suburbs - Kingston Museum.
• 6 – 8 June: Kingston International Film Festival - 64 films across four venues.
• 26 and 27 July: Athels Town Saxon Encampment & Re-enactment - a weekend full of the sights, sounds and smells of early mediaeval life, including a Saxon warrior parade across Kingston Bridge and battle reenactments.
• 6 September: River Cultures Festival - including a spectacular flotilla of boats ranging from modern day cruisers to Saxon crafts sailing up the Thames.
• 7 September: Kingston Carnival.

The programme is an exciting blend of large- and small-scale public events, exhibitions, talks, tours and outdoor performances.