What do you do with your Sundays? Instead of sitting around waiting for Monday to come, me and my friends made a pact to start making the most of our Sundays, it is 50% of the weekend after all. We started yesterday with a trip to the quirky summer pop-up at Battersea Power Station: The Power of Summer. Combining a silent outdoor cinema with a food market of creative international street food, the concept is safely alternative and a lot of fun.
Battersea Powerstation has recently undergone a huge development that has turned the iconic towers into a combination of residential flats, bars, restaurants and events space, and The Power Of Summer has firmly put it back on Londoner’s radars.
My friends and I at the Power of Summer yesterday
Yesterday was a ridiculously warm and humid day, but to make the most of the weather and for a bit of fun we thought we’d cycle there on Boris Bikes. Low and behold, as soon as the bikes were out of their docks, the heavens opened and it POURED down. It was strangely warm, so we couldn’t care less and dried in no time. Ive never laughed so much!
My friend Fi taking a snap mid-action as we rode through Battersea Park in the rain.
The silent outdoor cinema is the pop-up’s biggest draw, with the power station towers serving as an atmospheric and industrial back drop. Colourful bean bags and head phones bring the the foreground to life and there is a real air of contentment in the air. There is a bar within the cinema so you don’t have to roam too far for your next pint / cider / soft drink.Perfect for whiling away those hazy summer evenings. Classic films from a plethora of genres screen daily, and tickets can be bought in advance online. We saw controversial cult classic Priscilla Queen of The Desert which we loved! I’d definitely recommend booking well in advance though, as the popular ones sell out really quickly.
The super cool Everyman outdoor cinema at Battersea Power Station
The other total delight at this trendy summer pop up is the food market, named Riverside Feast. Including stalls from Le Bun, Spit & Roast, Popdogs, Mama’s Jerk and Anna Maes, the market showcases the best of London’s trendiest food traders. From American to Peruvian dishes, they’ve got it.
Endless food choices at the Street Feast food market
I would recommend doing a full browse of the stalls before committing to your chosen dish. The staff behind the stalls are all passionate foodies and are more than happy to talk you through their food before you make your decision (you might even pick up a few free samples along the way).
Peruvian Street food was one of the many international cuisines on offer
Another amazing element on offer are the bars. Of course, you can get beer by the pint. But there are also homemade juices and unique cocktails that taste absolutely delicious. I went for a frozen grapefruit margherita (after trying the frozen Pina Colada of course), both of which were absolutely delicious and were totally refreshing on a humid Sunday night. Take your drinks over to the games area, where you will find giant Jenga and Connect 4, which you can play at no extra cost.
Decisions decisions… we we’re drawn in by the hot dog stand!
After a full browse of the options I went for this incredible hot dog in a sweet brioche bun topped with BBQ pulled pork. There is a huge trend in London for gourmet burgers and hot dogs at the moment, and this is a prime example. It was an Ultimate #foodporn moment which I just had to Instagram instantly! Washed down with the grapefruit margherita, it beat a Sunday roast hands down!
Ultimate food porn!
The Power of Sound is open NOW until 31st August 2014. If you’re visiting London this Summer or are a local looking for something fun in the sun, this is right up your street. Reasonably priced and perfect for either a date or with friends, I couldn’t recommend it more highly. Here’s to more Sundays like this one!
The park is open from 12pm daily and general admission is free from Monday to Wednesday and before 6pm on Thursdays and Fridays, or £4 after and on weekends. Entrance to Riverside Feast is free with any ticket to the Everyman cinema, which cost £16.50 through ticket master.
Have you been to The Power of Sound or are thinking of going? If you’ve got any questions or enjoyed my post, please feel free to leave me a comment in the box below. I read every one and reply to them all. Thank you! x
Enjoy this read? Check out more of my London blog posts!
I Love London!
Went there on Saturday and agree it’s an amazing venue. I loved watching the screen with the towers rising up behind. Book cinema tickets in advance as it was full when we went. Lying on a beanbag in the sunshine at such an iconic place, with a glass of wine in hand makes you really love London summertime!
I couldn’t agree with you more! It’s in an amazing setting and the diversity of the whole thing is one thing that really makes London so special. 🙂
hi, as someone who has been to event please can you let me know if the ‘pods’ at the back of the cinema have roofs to protect from rain? thanks!
Hi there! The pods definitely do have roofs on so a great option in case it rains. They cost extra but they seemed worth it! Only thing is they’re at the back
Unless there for the cinema, don;t bother really. I went to have a closer look at the Power Station, and in truth the event only ends up obscuring the view of the Power Station. Although it is touted as being at the Power Station, and the developers state it is your last chance to see the power station before they close for construction, I thought I would be able to see more of this architectural icon. Alas, not. I was charged £5 for the privelidge of doing nothing much. I don;t see why I should have to spend £5 to see what ‘foodie’ food they had on offer… quite honestly I was not that blown away, and it was not like the prices were cheap either making the entry fee all the more unsavoury
really really want to go this outdoor cinema!! It sounds fabulous!