Christmas and New Year events around Sydenham

Christmas and New Year events around Sydenham:
There’s plenty happening in and around Sydenham over the holiday period. Here’s our selection of local events from mid-December to the New Year.

FRIDAY 16 DECEMBER
The Nigel Bagge Band are returning to the Golden Lion on Sydenham Road for blues night on Friday. It starts at 9pm and entry is free.

The Marshmallows Blues Club takes place at St Swithun’s church hall in Hither Green, with live entertainment from the house band and featured guests. It starts at 7.30pm and tickets are £5.

The Blackheath Halls are putting on their Christmas concert at 7.30pm. Local groups will be performing a variety of music, and there’ll be Christmas carols for everyone to join in with. Tickets are £14, or £12 for concessions, from the box office on 020 8463 0100.

Youth dance companies from across the country will be taking part in an end-of-year performance at Laban on Deptford Creekside on Friday night. It starts at 7pm, tickets are £6 or £3 for concessions from 020 8463 0100.

King’s Church on Catford Hill has carol concerts on Friday and Sunday night at 7.30pm, and on Saturday at 5pm. They’re free to attend and you can find out more by calling 020 8690 4646.

The 1950s film interpretation of Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol is being shown at the Vanishing Point cinema club in Lee on Friday night. The venue, on Lee High Road, is an old Victorian art studio that’ll be turned into Scrooge’s Counting House, with Christmas drinks, snow and carol singing. It starts at 7.30pm, tickets are £12 on the door or £10 in advance on 020 8852 0234.

SATURDAY 17 DECEMBER

The South London Singers are celebrating 30 years of music-making with a carol concert raising money for the NSPCC on Saturday night. It takes place at Beckenham Methodist Church at 7.45pm. Tickets are £10, children go free, and you can find out more by calling 020 8656 2815.

200 emerging artists and designers are showcasing their work at Bearspace in Deptford High Street until Saturday 17th. The exhibition is open daily from 10am till 6pm, entry is free, and you can find out more by calling 020 8694 8097.

There’s stand-up comedy at The Hob in Forest Hill from Chris Mayo, Jen Brister, Nathan Caton and Gordon Southern. Doors open at 8pm, the show starts at 9pm and it’s £9 or £6 for concessions from 020 8855 0496.

South-east London reggae band Kassman Universal will be headlining a night of live music for the Christmas bash at Peckham Palais night club on Friday from 10pm till 3am. Tickets are £10 before midnight and £12 after, with all profits going to Amnesty International.

Sydenham community library, next to Home Park, has an morning of Christmas storytelling from 10.30am. Come dressed as a Christmas character and join in the fun, with a raffle and gifts for the young ones.

SUNDAY 18 DECEMBER

Sing along to the classic The Sound of Music at St Swithun’s church hall in Hither Green on Sunday evening. The screening starts at 6pm, entry is £3 and you’ll find more details at www.hithergreenhall.org

New Cross People’s Library is having a fundraising Christmas party on a tropical theme at the Scout hut in Brockley. There’ll be a Caribbean Christmas dinner from 1pm till 4pm, with dishes starting at £5, followed by DJs and local bands from 4pm till 11pm. To find out more, visit www.nxpl.org.uk

Sydenham Community Radio is having an on-air Christmas party on Sunday afternoon. Tune in at www.sydenhamradio.co.uk between 2pm and 5pm for Christmas classics, guests from the local community and plenty of festive cheer.

CHRISTMAS WEEK

Penge town centre is having a Christmas celebration on Monday 19th, with carol singing, street theatre, and of course Santa. It runs from midday till 3pm along the length of the high street and in Empire Square.

The Hob in Forest Hill has its last open-mic comedy night of the year on Monday 19th, starting at 8pm. It’s your chance to see some new comedy talent and entry is £3.

Glenn Tilbrook, formerly of Squeeze, is performing a solo concert at the Blackheath Halls on Tuesday 20th. It starts at 8pm and tickets are £19.50 on the door or £17.50 in advance by calling 020 8463 0100.

The celebrity pub quiz is back at The Hob in Forest Hill on Thursday 22nd. It’s £2 to take part and there are cash prizes and drinks to be won. To find out more, call 020 8855 0496 or see www.edcomedy.com

Haberdashers Askes academy in Bromley has a free programme of activities for children aged eight to 12, offering the opportunity to learn new skills in a fun environment. The scheme runs from Monday 19th to Wednesday 21st between 10am and 3pm, it’s free to take part and must be booked in advance on 07753 859 062.

Grove Park youth club also has a programme of free activities for young people from 19th to 23rd December from 10am till 4pm. For more info, call 020 7993 8411.

Young people can learn the art of street dancing at a free workshop on Wednesday 21st and Thursday 22nd at Ladywell leisure centre. It’s for 13 to 19-year-olds, and it runs from 1.30pm to 4.30pm. To find out more, call 07956 913 039.

There’s a free introduction to climbing and mountain biking for 16 to 19-year-olds from Tuesday 20th to Thursday 22nd from 10.30am to 4.30pm. The meeting point is Laurence House in Catford. Sign up by calling 07518 175 403.

The Railway Telegraph in Forest Hill is organising a Christmas Eve party on Saturday night, with three women DJs providing the music. Call 020 8699 6644.

BETWEEN CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR

Peckham’s community radio station Reprezent is offering teenagers the chance to learn radio skills and present a fifteen-minute show. The Christmas takeover runs from Wednesday 28th to Friday 30th December between 10am and 9pm. It’s free to take part and you can find out more by calling 020 8320 0880.

The Railway Telegraph in Forest Hill is having a New Year’s Eve party featuring South-London reggae star and DJ Tippa Irie. The celebrations go on until 3am and tickets are £10 in advance by calling 020 8699 6644.

There’s also a New Year’s Eve disco party at the Blackheath Halls, with all of your favourite party tunes from 8pm till 2am. Tickets are £25, or £30 on the door, and the booking number is 020 8463 0100.

The Stephen Lawrence Centre in Deptford has a unique collection of 2D and 3D art created by Lewisham people with disabilities. It’s being shown until New Year’s Eve, entry is free and there’s more info on 020 8314 3117.

THROUGHOUT THE HOLIDAY PERIOD

The Broadway Theatre’s traditional family pantomime this year is Jack and the Beanstalk. There are performances at various times of the day until January 2nd. Tickets are from £14.50 to £16, or there’s a family ticket priced £58. To find out more, call the box office on 020 8690 0002.

The Brockley Jack’s Christmas production is a brand new interpretation of the globetrotting tale Around the World in Eighty Days. Performances are from Tuesday to Saturday at 7.45pm and they run until January 7th. Tickets are £13, £10 for concessions and a family ticket is £40. Call the box office on 0844 847 2454 or see www.brockleyjack.co.uk

Dulwich Picture Gallery is whisking visitors to Canada this winter, with a new exhibition of more than 120 paintings of the Canadian landscape. It runs until January 8th. Tickets are £7, £6 for senior citizens, £3 for other concessions – and children go free. It’s open from Tuesday to Saturday, from 11am to 5pm. For more info see www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk or call 020 8693 5254.