On Sunday August 13th, Battersea Park will once again host London’s Festival of Thai Food and Culture. The day of Eastern promise has been popular with Londoner’s for over a decade and this year the event coincides with the 60 th anniversary of Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s accession to the throne. The King is a big jazz fan and so the festival will include a performance from Juliette Kelly, a leading UK jazz singer.

The festival will be opened by a traditional Buddhist ceremony and the monks, in their distinctive orange robes, will be on hand throughout the day to talk to visitors about Buddhism and Thai culture. Open from 11am to 7pm, visitors can spend all day soaking up the sun and culture, and sampling the Thai delicacies on offer. Fifteen Thai restaurants from around the UK will be serving up fragrant and enticing Thai food, traditional Thai sweets and drinks, and imported ingredients, sauces and preserves.

Visitors with an eye for authentic Thai products will also be pleased to find a number of stalls selling traditional arts and crafts. Stalls will be offering all sorts of Thai products for sale, including vibrant cushions and silks, pots, intricate carvings and beautiful paintings – so keep an eye out for bargains! There will also be Thai cookbooks, ingredients and rare herbs and spices on sale so you can try your hand at Thai cuisine in the comfort of your own home.

This year’s host is famous Thai comedy actress, country singer and entertainer, Janet Keaw, who is flying in from Thailand especially for the festival. As well as Juliette Kelly’s performance, visitors will be entertained by Thai musicians, martial artists, dancers and performers. Don’t miss the show of Thai Kick Boxing, known as Muay Thai, on the main stage! For something a bit more graceful, look out for the traditional Thai dancers – their elegant and dainty dance moves never fail to captivate the crowds!

There will also be a raffle with some fantastic prizes on offer. First prize is a three night holiday for two people at the famous five-star Dusit Thani Hotel and spa in Bangkok, with return flights courtesy of Thai Airways. Three runners up will receive return flights for two from Thai Airways.

This is a fantastic opportunity for people from all backgrounds to take advantage of the summer sunshine in one of London’s most beautiful parks. Whether you’re a Thai culture enthusiast or you just go weak at the knees for authentic Thai food, this event is a great way to spend a Sunday!