The weather may have been, erm, changeable in recent weeks, but summer’s almost upon us and we’re optimistic for warm weather and sunny skies! Here’s 7 reasons to love Tooting in the summer!

Beer Gardens
Tooting’s beer gardens are a joy in the summertime – The Antelope, Castle, Graveney & Meadow, Gorringe, Kings Head, Manor, Selkirk, Trafalgar and Wheatsheaf have gardens to suit every taste. Even The Ramble Inn has a sneaky little garden at the back!
 

Festivals
After only two years, the Tooting Folk & Blues Fest has proven a massive draw for music lovers from Tooting and beyond, and we can’t wait to see what’s in store this August. The Community Funday hits Broadwater Road on July 15th, followed by the Tooting Twirl the day after. There’s also the Furzedown Big Day Out, school fairs and street parties, plus a new weekend street market set to launch in July! Need to keep track? Just hop over to our events page (and feel free to add your own Tooting event)!
 

Ice cream
As if by magic, ice cream vans spring up all over Tooting when the sun shines. We're especially fans of the Italian ice cream (and the rest of the food) at Tooting institution La Meditteranea at 180 Franciscan Road. Summer's never far away when Gio and Aldo start serving ice cream – try an affogato for a sweet caffeine hit to round off your meal. 
 

Mangoes
Already out in force on Upper Tooting Road and Tooting High Street, some of the world’s best mangoes have arrived. You can currently buy boxes of Alphonso, Badami and Kesar mangoes from India, which will make way for the Pakistani Sindhri mangoes later in the year.
 

Tooting Bec Lido
The shimmering jewel in Tooting’s crown? That’s certainly the view of the many swimmers who flock to the lido every year. Measuring 100 yards long and 33 wide (almost twice the size of an Olympic pool), it’s the largest in the country. Pay on the day or take advantage of their annual membership for unlimited swimming all year round. 
 

Tooting Common
Need we say more? The magnificent common is a popular destination on sunny days and will host a number of events over the summer. Visit the excellent Friends of Tooting Common website to learn all about the common – you can even join the Friends and be kept updated on all the goings-on for a paltry annual fee of £6! 
 

Walks with Geoff Simmons
Follow the award-winning Summerstown182 around Tooting and Earlsfield as the always brilliant (not to mention knowledgable) Geoff Simmons leads you round the streets imparting fascinating stories of local history. A wonderful way to learn more about the area, and often free!
 

Anything we've missed? Tweet us @TootingPRSS and let us know!