Hillaballoo

This Saturday (July 21st), Telegraph Hill picks up the baton from Hilly Fields as the epicentre for local community life, with the Hillaballoo event, which takes place from 'lunchtime' until late.

What is Hillaballoo? We've been asking ourselves that question, ever since we were handed an oblique flyer for the event, by a very nice woman in Telegraph Hill, about a month ago? We asked the same question when we passed some posters for it a couple of weeks ago. Yesterday, we thought our question was answered when we were shown to the Hillaballoo website by our friend Liz Akers, of Team Nice fame.

"What is Hillaballoo?" asks one of the helpfully-titled sections to the site. The answer it offers?

Views and visions

Telegraph Hill is in New Cross, SE14, in South East London. It is named for an ‘optical telegraph’ that passed messages across Kent’s highest hills on to the Admiralty. Building on years of activism in the area, a ‘creative community vision’ for Telegraph Hill is underway.

Hillaballoo is a summer event supporting these developments. It celebrates the fabulous view, explores everything to do with ‘looking further’ and invites visions for the future of SE14.
This year it takes place on Saturday 21st July. The centrepiece will be Willett and Patteson’s Amazing Camera Obscura to give us all a 360 degree view from the Top Park. http://www.amazingcameraobscura.co.uk/index.htm

Make of that what you will. Confirmed highlights include:

• ‘The Back Garden Gallery’ and ‘Telegraph Hill Visions’ groups on Flickr by Bridget McKenzie
• Patricio Forrester from Artmongers, will offer an activity with illusionary clothes.
• A group of children have offered to draw portraits of dogs or people.
• You will be invited to capture clouds and shadows, in drawings or photos.
• A knitting workshop for all ages and all levels.
• Some optical devices will be available to play with.
• The event will also be a chance to express your views through a survey, about your time, your skills and needs.

If Brockley Central had to make up a bizarre community event, we know we wouldn't have been able to come close. It sounds gloriously random - it's also free, coincides with the Farmers Market (10am - 3pm) and is supported by events at Cafe Orange.
Hillaballoo - be there or be baffled.