LONDON (AP) ― The athletes and the Olympic torch have arrived in London ― and so has the party.
For those keener on celebrity-spotting or dancing the night away than medal counting, the British host city has plenty of action to offer during games time. Away from the track and field, Hollywood royalty such as Brangelina and Nicole Kidman will be rubbing shoulders with diplomats and businessmen at the city’s glitziest clubs and grandest historic buildings. Meanwhile, Dizzy Rascal, Snow Patrol and other musicians will keep crowds entertained at outdoor concerts across the capital ― though there won’t be cocktails and canapes.
The party vibe kicked off Saturday with the sold-out “River of Music’’ festival, which features six stages along the Thames, each named for a different continent. Musicians from the Americas, for example, are taking over London’s iconic Tower of London, headlined by a gig by the Scissor Sisters. Other performers from across the globe include Baaba Maal, Wynton Marsalis and the Kronos Quartet.
One of the most glamorous bashes in town will be a charity gala dinner at the Victoria & Albert Museum on Wednesday, two days before the Olympic opening ceremony. Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Christopher Lee and Bob Geldof are expected to attend the black-tie event, which is organized by the charity Sports for Peace and held in honor of boxing great Muhammad Ali.
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In this Feb. 26 file photo, actress Angelina Jolie (right) and actor Brad Pitt arrive before the 84th Academy Awards, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. At the London Olympics, away from the track and field, Hollywood royalty such as Pitt and Jolie will be rubbing shoulders with diplomats and businessmen at the city’s glitziest clubs and grandest historic buildings. (AP-Yonhap News) |
Others reportedly attending include Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Prince Harry. The organizers did not immediately confirm the reports, but judging from the list of celebs sitting on the charity’s committee ― George Clooney, Catherine Deneuve and Hilary Swank, to name a few ― there will definitely be no shortage of VIPs.
In Soho, London’s buzzing restaurant and nightlife district, luxury watchmaker Omega, the Olympics’ official time-keeper, will be hosting its own A-list soirees in a specially-refurbished townhouse until the end of the games on Aug 12. Kidman is expected at a launch party on July 28, while a space-themed bash on Aug. 2 will feature American astronauts Buzz Aldrin, Gene Cernan and Tom Stafford.
