There is always something happening in London, whether it’s a concert, gathering, festival or celebration. We’ve compiled a list of the top events that happened this past year. Here’s to another year of a city chalk full of events, entertainment and culture.
1. LolaFest
LOLA (London Ontario Live Arts) takes over the city for four days every September with an array of music, art and sound. This past year, top indie artists like Caribou, Born Ruffians and Jamie Lidell hit the local stages for the festival.
2. SunFest
SunFest is always the global music and culture festival of the year in London. Victoria Park is packed with food vendors, entertainment, music and fashions and accessories from around the world.
3. Jerry Seinfeld
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld performed at the John Labatt Centre this year in front of a sold-out arena of 6,600 people. He even took a jab at London in his routine: “Oh my God. London, Ontario, Canada. How do you take the excitement of living here all the time?”
4. Winter Dreams on Ice
Olympic gold medal figure skaters Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue performed for the first time in London since their victorious routine at the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games. They were also joined by local figure skaters and groups for the holiday performance.
5. RibFest
London’s RibFest is the largest rib festival in Canada and the second largest in North America. Over 120,000 people crowd Victoria Park every year for mouth-watering ribs and entertainment.
6. Canada Day Fireworks
Thousands flock to London’s Harris Park every year for the annual Canada Day fireworks celebration.
7. Grickle Grass Festival
Indie bands the Balconies, Wild Domestic, The Woody Allens, Moore Moore performed at the London Regional Children’s Museum for an event supporting sustainable living and local art. The daytime activities were geared towards children, but in the evening, the museum transformed into a concert hall for “big kids.”
8. Cesar Millan
The “Dog Whisperer,” Cesar Millan came to London in November at the John Labatt Centre to give dog training tips and insights into dog psychology. He also spoke about his outrage over Ontario’s pit bull ban. Millan was not allowed to bring his pit bull Junior to his Ontario shows.
9. Pawlooza
Every August, thousands of local dogs and their owners flock to the annual summer Pawlooza festival for demonstrations, events, agility training, obedience advice and even a pet psychic.
10. London Fringe Festival
The London Fringe Festival is an annual theatre festival that just keeps growing every year. This year there were 45 theatre companies, 8 venues, 350 performances and 35 artists.
