Southwark by the Sea ... in Mint Street Park

Mint Street Park (at the corner of Marshalsea Road and Southwark Bridge Road) will be transformed into a beach playground on 3 August, as Bankside Open Spaces Trust (BOST) and Southwark Playhouse host Southwark by the Sea.

"The theme for the event was inspired by the Victorian and early 20th century taste for day-tripping on a paddle steamer to Southend-on-Sea" said Elly Kearney, the projects coordinator at BOST.

"We want people to enjoy the parks in Southwark, to see them as wonderful places to relax, enjoy a bit of nature and meet their neighbours. What better way to do that than through events such as this."

BOST is a small charity that helps local communities improve, enjoy and restore the environment in north-west Southwark. It supports local people with gardening clubs, capital improvements to parks and park events. Southwark Playhouse, the well-establishing studio theatre in Southwark Bridge Road, has the dual aim of presenting the highest quality theatre productions and providing a year round education and outreach programme for its local community.

BOST has held a summer community event in Mint Street Park for the past five years – this year and last with Southwark Playhouse.

The two organisations have planned a full day of fun, with:

• a children's parade
• an 'End of the Pier' show
• games: quoits, fishing game, donkey rides, tug of war, saucy photos, limbo dancing, twister, coconut shy
• seaside planting
• face and henna painting
• art and puppet improvisation workshops
• craft stalls
• a dog show
• a Puppet show
• music: Bengali and African performances, a steel band, Borough Music School and promenading performers including the well known local Lions part theatre company.
• a free prize draw
• community stalls
• refreshments: fish and chips, bhajis and cream teas