Open-Air Venues with Giant Screens to Bring the London Olympics Alive This Summer

LONDON, ENGLAND, June 25, 2012 (Press-News.org) Three iconic open-air locations in the heart of London - Hyde Park, Victoria Park and Trafalgar Square - will be transformed into special Olympic and Paralympic hubs this summer, where fans can watch all the action live on giant screens as well as enjoy a wide variety of interactive sports, activities and daily live music performances.

For fans without tickets to the real events then the BT London Live events in Hyde Park, Victoria Park and Trafalgar Square will be the best way to enjoy the electric atmosphere of the London Olympics and to share the emotions of the biggest sporting event on the planet - all for free.

BT London Live Hyde Park will provide unparalleled coverage of the London Olympic Games via six giant screens, including the UK's largest at 144m2 from 27 July to 12 August. Each evening, the main screen will transform into an exceptional live music stage from 5.30pm bringing headline performances from the likes of Tom Jones, McFly, Amy Macdonald and The Feeling.

Every Olympic medal competed for at the Games will be broadcast on the large screens, giving Londoners the opportunity to come together and enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime event in a festival-like atmosphere. There will also be live music throughout the day in smaller, more intimate performance spaces as well as outdoor arts displays with performers from the London Outdoor Arts Festival. Six specially created 'Have-A-Go' areas will encourage people of all ages to try out a range of sporting activities from handball and hockey to athletics and equestrian simulators.

Bookending the BT London Live Hyde Park event will be two ticketed concerts for the Olympic Opening Ceremony on 27 July and and Olympic Closing Ceremony on 12 August. The Opening Ceremony Concert features Snow Patrol, Stereophonics, Duran Duran and Paolo Nutini, with tickets priced GBP60 plus booking fees and available on www.btlondonlive.com. The sold-out Closing Ceremony Concert sees the formidable Blur return to Hyde Park, where they made their famous reunion concert back in 2008. The Britpop legends are joined by New Order, The Specials and Bombay Bicycle Club in what should be a fitting Olympic send-off.

Both Opening and Closing Ceremonies will be broadcast live at the second BT London Live venue over in East London. A stone's throw from the Olympic Park, BT London Live Victoria Park will offer a more intimate viewing experience throughout the Games with an al-fresco Sports Bar-style approach to enjoying the London Olympics. Two giant screens will share the park with a series of smaller screens showing BBC live coverage, while fans can also enjoy live musical entertainment and 'Have-A-Go' sessions.

Musicians and entertainers involved in BT London Live Victoria Park include Norman Jay, Club de Fromage, Courtney Pine, Sean Rowley's Guilty Pleasures, Snow Club and the Sound of Latin London. Ticketed attractions in the park include a 55-metre high Observation Wheel boasting stunning views over the nearby Olympic Park and a 320-metre long zipline through the park's trees.

Entry to BT London Live Hyde Park and Victoria Park is free with doors opening each day at 11am. 'Guaranteed Entry Tickets' are also available for access before 2pm and can be booked, in advance, for a specified day. There is no limit to the number of days you can guarantee your entry for - but these tickets will not be available for the Opening and Closing Ceremony Celebration Concerts. A transaction fee of GBP3.50 will apply per booking.

Once the Olympics are over, BT London Live will relocate to Trafalgar Square where a 60m2 giant screen will show live coverage of the Paralympic Games from 29 August until 9 September. There's a live music concert planned each evening while throughout the day aspiring able-bodied and non able-bodies athletes can try out a range of Paralympic sports. BT London Live Trafalgar Square offers free walk-in entry at all times on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to capacity.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said: "With the eyes of the world on London for the 2012 Games, we are creating a jam-packed programme of exciting events that will show the city at its very best and ensure as many people as possible across the capital feel a part of the celebrations. With its unbeatable locations London Live will be a thrilling highlight in a summer of highlights, allowing even more people to watch awe inspiring sporting heroes in high definition action for free, and other fantastic attractions for Londoners and visitors alike."

For more information on all sporting and cultural events during the London Olympics and Paralympics please visit LondonTown.com's comprehensive London Olympics pages.

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