This weekly newsletter is constantly, deliberately evolving.

It will always be 100% about local culture, but in an urban hotspot as dynamic as LB Camden, that takes myriad forms.

Personally I’m just as happy for the definition of ‘culture’ to include stories of cutting edge technology emerging from the Knowledge Quarter as it does support for 100-year-old-pubs, or bold ideas for new arts and movie-making hubs 😉. But one thing we’ve purposefully kept at arm’s length is politics.

Why? Well, for starters we’re all lucky enough to have a rare remaining independent, award-winning local paper on our patch in the Camden New Journal, and the idea was always for Camdenist to offer something akin to a Sunday supplement to their front page, content-wise.

But years of austerity, Brexit, Covid and cost-of-living-crisis have made cultural commentary more political by definition, so it has been rewarding to see readers respond so well to Camdenist becoming more campaigning and opinionated in recent times.

Last week I dipped a toe - ever so slightly - into big P politics, suggesting that that the new Keir Starmer premiership might bring some kind of progressive Camden-style influence to national and international affairs, on account of him hailing from these parts.

Within minutes of our regular 7.45am Friday delivery to your inboxes, a complaint expressing ‘shock’ at the piece had been raised in relation to the PM’s approach to Palestine. A calm email exchange soon smoothed things over, but it was a reminder as to another reason we’ve traditionally kept away from Politics - the inevitable combustibility of any resulting discourse.

In this time of populism, polarisation and post-truth, as exemplified by the shameful violence seen at events in London and Stockport this week but also visible to anyone pursuing online comments sections anywhere, all digital dialogue - including the fluffy stuff about new comedy shows, music genres and food trends - has the potential to become stoked into an incendiary argument.

But as we continue to craft this newsletter (and our other digital and physical Camdenist platforms) to best navigate the growing tsunami of synthetic AI content, it feels more important than ever to put forward strong human-formed opinion that can be backed up by civilised communication when challenged.

With that spirit in mind, let us know what you think about this in the poll below, and do leave a comment - yes, positive or negative! - in the box after you’ve voted. ⬇️

📊 This week's one-click poll

💊 See below for the results of last week’s poll on legalisation of recreational drugs in the UK (spoiler: you think we should try it).

FESTIVALS

Experience the many musical sides of Regent’s Park in a single day

⛲ The Regent’s Park Music Festival sees nearly 50 free concerts from more than 1,200 musicians over the coming weeks, with big bands and choirs at the bandstand, jazz on the Broadwalk, plus special events in the St. John’s Lodge ‘Secret Garden’ (pictured above). Grab the final tickets to the Lord Chamberlain’s Men production of Hamlet in the open air on Saturday 3rd August, or the Orchestra for the Earth playing much-loved favourites by Debussy, Delius, Tchaikovsky, and more, finishing with the epic finale of Sibelius’ Fifth Symphony on Sunday 5th.

🫂 Nearby, celebrating very different elements of this diverse Euston neighbourhood is Regent’s Roots Festival (Sat 3rd) a collaboration between local estate residents, the Old Diorama Arts Centre and Fitzrovia Youth in Action, meaning you’ll catch exciting free performances from high octane hip-hop to international dance styles, enjoy workshops, interactive and playful arts installations, pop-up games, a vibrant marketplace, with a free lunch feast laid on, too.

🍜 The Yunnan Cultural Festival takes over Hawley Wharf on Saturday 3rd bringing the food, music and culture of China’s Yunnan province to London, with ethnic fashion shows, handcraft workshops and art installations, all coinciding with the annual Torch Festival, which comes to Camden for the first time.

🍧 The canalside Granary Square steps are in full King’s Cross Riviera summer season mode right now (see this edition’s main photo above), including the witty new pop-up souvenir shop featuring art and other deliciously tasteful tourist tat by some of the capital’s most fun artists, plus the ongoing Everman film screenings in the sunshine, while an official Team GB Olympics Fanzone over in Lewis Cubitt Square boasts regular free sports and fitness classes and live entertainment alongside the daily action from Paris on the big screen, until August 11th.

🐕‍🦺 Head over to Caledonian Park on Sunday 4th August where the iconic former meat market’s centrepiece lends it’s name to the Clocktower Festival. It’s a community event with a great line-up of live music, food, stalls, kids activities, a nature zone and an event called the ‘fastest floof’, which is a mini Olympics for dogs…

FOOD + DRINK

🥪 Three hot new local openings to report

The Costa Del Parliament Hill, aka Swains Lane, now boasts a brand new branch of indy coffee and sarni specialists Trade in it’s enviable line-up, bringing their legendary brunchy dishes and brews from existing hotspots in Old St, Commercial St and Essex Rd. Camdenist spies tell us the food is excellent (as it sure looks above) as is the strong black stuff, making it a destination for a well-earned restorative treat in the middle or end of your next sunny Heath walk.

🍷 West Hampstead has just got itself a brand new chic sharing plate kitchen and wine bar with a lush al fresco terrace called Dany’s, now open opposite West End Green. Expect grilled Mediterranean dishes, a large curated wine list and proper cocktails, too.

🍛 As previewed here a few weeks back, Camden Market’s latest premium street food vendor Dhakaah has now opened with what looked like a delicious launch party the other night. Our invite sadly must have got lost in the post, but their Bangladeshi cuisine should be on the list to try whenever you can next make it down to Hawley Wharf - let us know how it is!

STAGE

Comedy and new plays to see at Camden Fringe this week

🤣 Friend of this newsletter, Suchandrika Chakrabarti, presents a bumper bill in The Best of Camden Fringe at lovely King’s Cross boozer basement Star of King's on Tuesday 6th August, where she’ll be joined by ‘Weirdos Comedy Collective’ starring Adam Larter, Charlie Vero-Martin, Sam Dutton and Ali Brice.

📱 She’s also reprising her hit show from last year’s festival, Doomscrolling on the 8th and 9th August at Camden Comedy Club. Read the full Camdenist interview with Suchandrika about the show from Fringe 2023 right here.

📷 Things Between Heaven and Earth is a psychological thriller sees a widow discover her husband's affair - and murder - through a book written by their close friend. It explores issues around sexuality across different cultures and the ethical implications of writers using their and others' lives as material for their work. Read writer/performer Jun Noh on the shifting identities we all adopt. It’s at the Rosemary Branch Theatre 3rd & 4th August, and then the Hen & Chickens Theatre 5th & 6th August.

👞 Catch a personal account of South Africa’s Apartheid years with That Boy Has No Shoes at Camden People’s Theatre. We spoke with the show’s writer and performer Laura van Huyssteen about the show here. Until Aug 3rd

🧔🏾‍♂️ Channeling the spirit of this week’s Trump nonsense towards Kamala Harris, I Am Not Black is a one-man show by Temz Thomas about feeling too white for the black kids and not black enough for the white kids at school. Runs 3rd, 4th & 6th August at Chalk Farm’s new Fringe venue The Libra.

MUSIC

🎶 5 local gigs, from UK ska skankin’ to grunge metal bangers

_{The weekly Camdenist newsletter runs on Beehiiv, which we think is the best platform available for running this kind of email community. Find out more and try Beehiiv free with no credit card required. If you then sign up, we’ll get a referral fee, and we’ll support your own newsletter to our readers by way of thanks} 🙂