Spare Time

Four hundred events in Spitalfields, St Paul’s and the City will mark the first EAST festival, incorporating ideas and contributions from across the area and coordinated by the Mayor of London.

Countless artists live and work in the East End, including Tracey Emin, Gilbert & George, Benjamin Zephaniah, and Chris Ofili. But the area’s artistic heritage can also be found in its music, historic buildings, markets and food.

All of these will be part of the EAST festival, and organisers say they hope it will unite the local community with its artistic neighbours. London Mayor Ken Livingstone said: "East London, with its rich past and present, has long been a real creative hotbed in London. This collaboration will offer Londoners a wonderful opportunity to sample and enjoy an unrivalled mix of cultural experiences in this unique part of the city."

The bells start here

Oranges and lemons

To celebrate the famous nursery rhyme, 'Oranges and Lemons', at 6pm on 1 March a peal of bells will sound from St Paul’s Cathedral, followed by bell-ringing at many of East London’s churches, finishing at 8pm at St Botolphs church in Aldgate.

If you hear a peal of bells at a church near you, film it on your mobile phone and email it to BBC London's user generated content guru at dekan.apajee@bbc.co.uk or text him on 07711 913 210.

A busy six days

Highlights will include Taste East, between Friday 2 and Saturday 3 March at Crispin Place. There will be hundreds of specialist food and drink stalls, telling the history of the East End through food.

The Guerilla Girls on Tour, the only UK appearance of America’s feminist cabaret, will be on Friday 2 March at Toynbee Studios on Commercial Street. At the same venue on Monday 5 March, author Jasvinder Sanghera will talk about her first book, "Shame", about domestic violence, forced marriage and honour killing.

Columbia Road Flower Market

On Sunday 4 March the Museum in Docklands will be host to Tower Hamlets’ spectacular Royal Bengal Tiger, which is over 6 metres long and was originally commissioned for Brick Lane’s Baishaki Mela.

To watch an interview with Mark Prescott from the Cultural Campaigns team at the Mayor’s office click on the link at the top right of this page.

Details about the EAST festival can be found at www.findeast.co.uk or by calling 020 7983 4100. 'The Rough Guide to east London – a festival championing the best of East London' will be available from City Hall or can be downloaded from the website.

angela.saini@bbc.co.uk