The final countdown to London 2012 begins now

With over 2m Londoners lining the capital’s streets to cheer on the Olympic Flame so far, the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has urged everyone across the country to keep up the incredible enthusiasm shown throughout the relay and power Team GB on to a record medal haul as we enter the final countdown to the 2012 Games.

Since the Flame began its journey across the capital four days ago an estimated 2.3m Londoners have come out on to the capital’s streets to show their support.

With the continuing fine weather hundreds of thousands more are expected to turn out over the next two days as it makes its way through Harrow, Brent, Barnet, Enfield and Haringey and around central London tomorrow before it appears at the opening ceremony at the Olympic Stadium, in Stratford, on Friday.

The flame will begin its penultimate day in Harrow, making its way through Brent before a scheduled lunchtime stop at the Hendon Campus of Middlesex University in Barnet. The flame will be carried into the university by Barnet resident Diana Gould, who at 100 is the oldest female torch bearer in the relay.

Welcoming the flame to the University will be the Mayor of London Boris Johnson, Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Michael Driscoll and Mayor of Barnet Cllr Brian Schama.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said: "The sheer enthusiasm and support shown by the people of London for the Olympic Torch Relay over the last four days has been nothing short of exhilarating. Lining the streets from Bromley to Harrow they have cheered and waved, and changed the atmosphere from pre-curtain jitters to palpable excitement as we enter the final countdown to the greatest sporting event this country has ever seen. So with just over 48 hours to go I say dig out your flags, roll out the bunting and let’s harness the incredible enthusiasm shown by the huge crowds who have cheered on the Flame and power Team GB onto a locker-busting medal haul."

The party atmosphere is already building across the capital as hundreds of thousands of visitors arrive in the city and the eyes of the world turn to London.

On the 27 & 28 July BT London Live will open its doors at the Victoria and Hyde Park sites with all the sporting action from the Olympic Stadium and venues being shown live on giant screens, for free, through the Games. There will also be great music, entertainment and the chance to try out different sports.

On Friday morning at precisely 8.12am Martin Creed's "All the Bells’ will see bells being rung out across the country, including London, as the nation heralds the start of the Games. More aural delights can be found on the Millennium Bridge where walkers can experience 'Tales from the Bridge', a mesmerising journey through London’s history created by Martyn Ware and David Bickerstaff, daily from 27 July until 9 September, from 8am to 10pm.

Across London Jeremy Deller’s ‘Sacrilege’ and the ‘Owl and the Pussycat’, staged by the Royal Opera House on London’s canals, are both proving hugely popular.

Young musicians are getting a chance to play live at as part of Gigs: Big Busk, which sees hundreds of young singers and musicians be making London their stage in the city's biggest ever street music competition. Some 200 acts will be performing at over 35 locations around London from 21 July – 25 August, with musical styles from classical to country and beatbox to ballads. This weekend sees some of the young Londoners playing at the London Folk Festival, Balham; in Redbridge; and the Shoreditch Festival.

The giant Olympic Rings that were last seen floating on the Thames in February are also on show again, and are currently moored at Battersea Park. The coloured rings can be seen from the park side. From the other side of the river you can see the white side, actually a lightbox, which is illuminated at night and changes colour. The rings will remain at the park until the end of the week, when they will move to another part of the river.

And seven bridges have been lit up, each one differently, including specially designed pictogram figures on Waterloo Bridges The other bridges are the Golden Jubilee Walkways; Blackfriars Bridge, Millennium Bridge, Southwark Bridge and London Bridge. The lighting will come on in sequence from 9:30pm each evening until the end of the Paralympic Games.

To help Londoners and visitors navigate the extensive Mayor of London Presents programme, the 'Summer's Looking Good' brochure is available for free, from London Ambassadors, at cultural venues like art galleries and museums throughout London, or to download from www.molpresents.com.

Laura Murray Press Assistant Mayor of London's Press Office

T: 020 7983 4713 M: 07795 616 920 GREATERLONDONAUTHORITY www.london.gov.uk

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