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Standard readers have the chance to be among the first to see inside the Olympic Stadium site during an open weekend featuring hundreds of arts and sport events in the capital.
The events from 24-26 July have been organised to mark three years until the Games opening ceremony on 27 July 2012.
London's sports, arts and cultural communities are holding more than 174 events, including dance classes with the English National Ballet, language lessons at Birkbeck college and beach volleyball in Barking.
Organisers of London 2012 are inviting 45 Standard readers plus a guest each to visit the Olympic Stadium, where construction is progressing well.
This will include a walking tour of the stadium construction site on Sunday 26 July. Visitors will have the opportunity to stand on the viewing platform in the south stand of the stadium.
The 80,000-capacity venue will host the track and field events and the opening and closing ceremonies. The 25,000 permanent seats in the lower bowl and the temporary steel and concrete terracing for the upper tiers are nearing completion.
Sebastian Coe, chairman of the London 2012 organising committee said: "Open weekend is the perfect time to give Londoners a unique opportunity to have a look inside the Olympic Stadium - the venue that will be the heartbeat of the Olympic Park."
Among other highlights of the Open Weekend are a game of human dominoes along a 15km route from Newham to Greenwich, and a "hip hop Shakespeare" performance in which young musicians reinterpret scenes from the playwright's work at the South Bank Centre. Visitors to the World Rugby Museum at the Twickenham stadium will be invited to share their sporting memories.
Last year London's first open weekend attracted more than 700,000 participants from across Britain and is coming back as an annual event.
While last year it acted as the launch of the Cultural Olympiad - the four-year programme of arts events until 2012 - this month's celebration is being expanded to include sports.
To win tickets to see inside the Olyimpic Stadium click here
Reader views (13)
I went yesterday, and it was awesome. The rest of you are just plain miserable.
- Becks, London, 27/07/2009 09:16
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I wish they would do something with their official web-site (http://www.london2012.com/)..its awful..only available in english and french yet it is supposed to be a world event??.Arragant lot...Compared to the Chicago site for their olympic bid (www.http://www.chicago2016.org/) the London site looks rather poor ... I thought London was better at design and innovation????
- Michael, Barcelona , Spain, 21/07/2009 21:15
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It well be great to visit the under development stadium - I've applied. There are so many fantastic events over that July weekend - I suggest following @London2012team on twitter for updates. Also visit their fab interactive map for what's on near you: http://www.london2012.com/in-your-area/map/index.php?dtstart=2008-11&dtend=2009-07&zoom=6&types=event%2Cwebcam¢er=53.69457%2C-4.24108
- Kylie Ap Garth, London, UK, 21/07/2009 20:15
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This is presumably the 80,000 seater stadium that’ll cost nearly as much as Wembley by the time it’s finished, but will be torn apart after the Games to become a mickey-mouse 25,000 seat stadium to feature ‘top class’ athletics twice a year. Or is there some new thinking - maybe down to a 50,000 seat stadium for our bid for the football world cup, but with no resident football team and the astronomical maintenance costs added to the almighty bill being run up for Londoner’s future tax demands because of this Olympic fiasco.
- William Boreham, Kingston upon Thames., 21/07/2009 20:15
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Too far away. Plus I do not want to be mugged.
- Caroline, Islington, London, 21/07/2009 20:15
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Olympic Stadium built by WHO?
I like to see all the English/British workers and see if they are real, not the way its been told.
- Dec, London, 21/07/2009 20:15
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How will they get there? The underground is suspended every other weekend for engineering works, and at other time the drivers are on strike.
- Bj, London, 21/07/2009 20:15
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All this and quantative easing as well.
No doubt they will have to print more money.
- Bernard Parke, GUILDFORD, 21/07/2009 20:15
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I'm more than happy to take thew place of all these 'moaning minnies' who have got nothing better to do than knock what is going to be the greatest sporting event ever to be held in this country.
I was born about a mile from the site and can't wait for the opportunity to visit the stadium. Please put me on your list!!!
- Alan C, Hornchurch, 21/07/2009 20:15
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I'd rather have my money back!
- Mark, South-East London, 21/07/2009 20:15
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I would prefer if they had an "open accounting system". £100 MILLION has gone "missing" from the olympic purse and they are refusing to publish the results of an investigation by forensic auditors into the allegation! This scandal must not be allowed to be "swept under the carpet". Tax payers have a right to know if our money is being misappropriated.
- R.F., Yorks, UK, 21/07/2009 20:15
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Personally,I hope the London Olympics is a complete disaster.I hope it cripples this country economically and some fans experience how violent and hostile 'Londoners' can be first hand.
- Steve, London, 21/07/2009 20:15
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I've got better things to do with my weekend than show an interest in this impending debacle and a stadium I'm forced to pay for.
- Steve, London, 21/07/2009 20:15
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