Last week’s early morning edition of The Wick newsletter was a hit with local readers, so we’ve decided to stick with publishing at 7.45am instead of the previous Wednesday lunchtime slot.

That way we can also give you more advance notice of things taking place on a Wick Wednesday, as the number of special events and offers begins to grow again.

On that note, obviously tonight is all about the football, with masses of places to watch the big match locally (see a few below), but do book ahead to secure a decent spot (if any are left)!

Then, next week, Wed 8th Jul, while the World Cup has a merciful day off, why not head to Hackney Wick’s very own beach, the home of Bola Beach Tennis Club, for a special ‘sip and serve sunset special’?

The Bola crew are running coaching, group lessons, tournaments and plenty more around this exciting racket sport all summer long at their Bassett Lane sandy ‘beach’ courts, right beside the River Lea.

And for this special event, innovative winemakers, the appropriately titled Wednesday’s Domain, will also be on the QEOP’s beach to offer post-match drinks for everyone who takes part. They specialise in producing 0.0% and 6.5% wines that honour the taste, craft and ritual of traditional wine, but are suitable for a whole range of modern lifestyles and occasions.

The first sip and serve event is next Wed 8th Jul from 6.30pm. Sign up here.

✂️The pop-up formerly known as the Fishmas Shop returns to the Wick for a summer season under the new name, Made by Many. With an opening party this Fri 3rd Jul and running until 8th Aug, the shop is based at The Trampery Fish Island, offering a selection of fashion, lifestyle and gifting products from local and East London artisans and small batch brands. The dog treats are back, and this time around they're also aiming to have snacks for humans! There will also be workshops and events over the coming weeks on the mezzanine.

🍽️Queer Edge Dine is the new dining experience from East London collective Queer Edge, taking over a restaurant for one big gay dinner party. Running every second Thursday of the month at Unlock, the night pairs a rotating three-course set menu from local queer chefs, with live entertainment by Rhys’ Pieces. RSVP before this Sun 5th Jul if you have dietary requirements, with the next event next week on Thurs 9th Jul.

💃Here East is showcasing a residency for young Italian dancers of the Lazio Danza e Teatro Programme, led by Company Wayne McGregor this Sat 4th Jul.

🖼️Exhibition and live performance BLIND FAITH takes place at Eastway Baths (formally The Bath House) on Fri 3rd Jul. In this second volume of their A Common Longing series, collective Femanifesto explores work in progress, and the messy joy of creativity.

🎾All Wimbledon matches are being broadcast live at Victory Park, Stratford until 12th Jul. Sit in the open air, free to attend, with plenty of food and drink options from the surrounding East Village restaurants and bars.

🌱Hackney Herbal are hosting free community session School of Wonder on Sat 4th Jul at Trowbridge Gardens. The afternoon includes a guided garden tour, a workshop to make your own natural skin balm, and a seed collection to take home.

🤠Riverside East are giving us a taste of Americana on Sat 4th Jul with a Country BBQ Festival. Try your hand at line dancing and even ride a bucking bronco, or just enjoy the open air terrace, craft beers and smoky meat.

⚽ Catch tonight’s World Cup knockout game England v DR Congo at multiple Wick venues such as Here East Canalside, The Lord Napier, No.90 and Colour Factory, or there’s the giant outdoor fan experience in the garden at Hackney Bridge. Other matches will be shown during the week, and venues will be staying open through Sunday’s 9pm kickoff should England progress to the next round. For a culinary sneak peek, head to the not-yet-open Uncle Hon’s BBQ, the former Silo in the White Building, where England matches will be shown alongside a one-off menu themed around the cuisine of the opposition.

🎭 Review: The Harder They Come at Stratford East - Last chance to catch - runs to Sat 4th Jul

Check out more local culture reviews every week on thisisthewick.com

🏳️‍🌈HOWL Pride is returning to the Wick this Sat 4th Jul. The day-to-night queer festival is taking over multiple local venues, including Colour Factory, Hackney Bridge, Crate, HWK, and All My Friends. Starting at 2pm and running until 6am, the lineup features 85 DJs, live acts, and performers from London’s underground queer scene. Headliners include Juliana Huxtable, LYDO, Evissimax, and Miss Bashful at Colour Factory, plus a hybrid set from Chippy Nonstop at the Hackney Bridge outdoor stage and a dedicated FLINTA+ stage.

🔊Tonight Wed 1st Jul at No. 90 Hideout sees the return of the Shogun Sessions, a series of drum & bass eves hosted by Shogun Audio, featuring guest DJs and vocalists.

🌀There’s a live set tomorrow Thurs 2nd Jul from Al Wootton at Eastway Baths - electronic music with a mix of dub-techno, experimental bass, and psychedelic percussion.

🪩Grow is hosting midsummer dance First Floor on Fri 3rd Jul. the DJ lineup features Paulita, Liminal People, and Tall Nico playing a mix of disco, house, and rare global grooves.

💡If you are a small, local community group, resident collective, or grassroots social enterprise with an income of less than £250,000, applications are currently open for Hackney Council’s Project Innovation Fund. The grant is designed to help small organisations test out fresh community ideas, strengthen partnerships, and trial projects that support communities typically underserved by major systems. Applications are open until Aug 31st via Hackney’s Grants Portal.

🏆 Submissions are open for the biennial East London Art Prize, a major platform celebrating the incredible diversity of art made in the cultural hive of East London. Headed by Bow Arts and supported by a network of local partners (including East Bank and the V&A East), the prize is open to artists living or working in eligible East London boroughs, including Hackney and Tower Hamlets. Twelve shortlisted artists will be featured in a group show with access to mentoring grants, while the overall winner will receive a £15,000 cash prize and a solo exhibition at the Nunnery Gallery in Bow. The deadline to apply is Aug 16th.

🏳️‍🌈 Hackney Council and Hackney Giving have launched their latest Pride365 Grants Programme. Grassroots groups, local creatives, and voluntary organisations can apply for funding to support LGBTQIA+ cultural activities and heritage projects that directly take place within the borough and engage Hackney’s local communities. Applications are open to organisations with a turnover of under £300,000, and the deadline to get your project proposal submitted is Jul 27th.

🖼️ Entries are now open for the 9th John Ruskin Prize, a multidisciplinary art prize open to all artists, designers and craftspeople, of all nationalities, aged 18 and over. Run by The big Draw, and supported by the Trinity Buoy Wharf Trust, this year’s theme invites you to question the role of the maker today - what does it mean to create with an awareness of consequence, while also posing the challenge: must art serve a purpose beyond itself? Selected works will be exhibited at Trinity Buoy Wharf in 2027, and four winners will receive prizes totalling £9,500. Apply before 17th Nov.

📕 The Wick Book is a limited edition 160-page hardback historic record, looking at 15 years of culture, community and change in the neighbourhood through the pages of The Wick. We’re now down to the last 100 copies.

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