Summer's last blast

Fans of live music al fresco have had a bountiful time of it in London this year.

From Oasis and New Order at Finsbury Park via Santana and the Sex Pistols at Crystal Palace to, best of all, the Queen's pop and classical concerts at Buckingham Palace for the Golden Jubilee weekend, this has arguably been the capital's best musical summer ever.

And Hyde Park has strengthened its position as the open-air venue par excellence. From Picnic In The Park to the Route Of Kings concerts and Party In The Park, a host of events have graced the Royal Park this year.

With performers like Rod Stewart, Diana Ross, St Germain, The Cure, Blue and Wyclef Jean, most tastes have been catered for.

Now the BBC is bringing the curtain down on a magical season and presenting its most ambitious weekend ever of BBC Proms In The Park events with not one, not two, but three separate concerts.

The Last Night Of The Proms always sells out months in advance. However, for the past seven years, the BBC has not only broadcast the event to the nation but also relayed the pomp and ceremony of the Royal Albert Hall occasion on huge screens in Hyde Park.

Come early on Saturday and you'll hear the Bootleg Beatles, the award-winning Jazz Jamaica All Stars or Lakatos, 'the greatest gypsy fiddler alive'.

Once again, Radio 2's Terry Wogan will be your genial host and lead up to the simulcast of 'Jerusalem' and 'Rule Britannia!' with a celebrity line-up of artists.

Crossover stars Lesley Garrett and Jos? Cura should delight opera fans and will be joined by Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the South African choir most famous for their collaboration with Paul Simon on the Graceland album.

On Sunday, the BBC is presenting two very different and distinctive events. The early CBBC Prom In The Park is aimed at families with children of all ages.

The concert will showcase Pop Idol's Will Young and Gareth Gates making a bid for the Robbie Williams-goes-Sinatra market and singing with the BBC Philharmonic.

South African dance troupe Umoja and violin prodigy Jennifer Pike will also appear on a bill compered by CBBC's Fearne Cotton and Blue Peter's Simon Thomas.