Kenwood House picnic concerts return this summer after being cancelled last year

Emma Youle Wednesday, February 27, 2013
5:22 PM

The picnic concerts at Kenwood House will return this summer after being cancelled last year - with a line-up including classical and family friendly acts.

The Kenwood House picnics concerts will be held over two back-to-back weekends in late August or early September. Picture: Nigel Sutton

English Heritage, which runs Kenwood House, has appointed a new concert provider and the popular season of open-air concerts will be back over two consecutive weekends at the end of August and early September.

Rouge Events, whose clients include Comic Relief and Kensington Gardens, will organise the concerts for the next three years after a deal was signed with English Heritage and announced today.

Full details of this year’s line-up are yet to be announced, but organisers have confirmed there will be “something for everyone” including families and lovers of classical music.

Before last year’s break, the concerts had run almost continuously since 1951 and in recent years attracted stars such as Tom Jones, Liza Minnelli, Blondie, and James Blunt.

Big name acts who have performed on the outdoor stage in the past include Tom Jones, Liza Minnelli, Blondie and James Blunt

Previously the concerts were held over eight weekends, but this year they will take place over two back-to-back weekends on Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons.

English Heritage says the revised schedule will keep “any disturbances to local residents to a minimum”.

Alex Sydney, head of historic properties in London for English Heritage, said: “We are delighted to be bringing the picnic concerts back to Kenwood this summer.

“Last year’s break allowed us to think about how the concerts can be done differently.

“Running them over two weekends and not eight will mean that we can keep any disturbance to a minimum.

“We’ll announce the acts soon, but there will be something for everyone and the new programme will include classical music concerts.

“This year will be an exciting one for Kenwood.

“The concerts are returning in the summer and then later in the year, the House will reopen – repaired, restored and refreshed.”

Rouge Events are an event management agency specialising in live performances.

With over a decade of experience, they have worked at venues such as Kensington Gardens and Warwick Castle, and their clients include Sky, The Prince’s Trust and Comic Relief.

Rouge director Nathan Homan said “We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded the opportunity to produce the Kenwood House concerts for the next three years.

“Our mission now is to programme innovative, exciting performances for both classical and popular music and we will be announcing details of the line-up and how to book very soon.”

To sign up for the Kenwood House Picnic Concerts newsletter and be the first to know about line-up and booking details go to www.kenwoodhouseconcerts.com