What does signage along a high street reveal about an area? How do fonts influence your choices and what are they really telling you?

Take a tour of Dalston in East London and learn about the signage along the way which creates the area’s own unique typographic DNA. During the safari there will be a letter hunt challenge and at the end you’ll receive a Font Fortune goody bag.

We are surrounded by type and we use it to navigate our everyday lives. The letterforms we encounter as we walk down the high street influence our choices before we’ve even read the words. These also reveal a great deal about the the location, reflecting the social, economic and historical development of the area creating its own, unique typographic DNA.

Dalston is a vibrant area in which bars and shops are constantly popping up and the signage is ever changing. The signs along the main road, Kingsland Road, reveal layers of history dating back to when it was a London outpost in the 1800s. Signs from the Art Deco cinemas have been preserved alongside the vernacular D.I.Y. signage of the market stalls and the lettering over the shops and restaurants that reflect the different communities who have made the area home over the years. Many venues, along with their signage, have become iconic Dalston landmarks.

We'll end in the Type Tasting studio where you can try your hand at some of the Type Tasting games and you'll receive a Font Fortune goody bag.

On a Thursday evening you are invited to join me after the safari at the nearby Ruby's cocktail bar to talk type over a drink. On a Sunday evening I can recommend plenty of local eateries if you would like to make an evening of it. Sarah.

“Venture into a whole world of fonts. You don’t need any previous creative expertise to take part, just some love for letters.” Time Out

“A unique & interesting way to 'read' the city.” Sophie Nellis

“Informative but not stuffy, fun but not dumbed down, it was a pleasure to learn a brief history of type and get more of an insight into one of London’s most interesting areas.” Emily Gosling

“Sarah’s enthusiasm and energy for type came through. Loved it.” Cathy Hull

“How long have you spent looking at the signs above the doors?” Dalstonist

Duration: 1.5 hours, booking is essential. End: Type Tasting Studio, The Chocolate Factory N16, Farleigh Place, London N16 7SX

Sarah Hyndman is the founder of experiential type studio Type Tasting and the author of the book ‘The Type Taster: How Fonts Influence You’. Buy a signed copy of the book for £16 (RRP £18) at the end of the tour. This first edition will only be available until October 2015.

“A fun/inventive/engaging exploration of fonts in our daily lives” Clare A Conway

“A great read, fun and informative!” Anja Wohlstrom, ICON Magazine

“While The Type Taster draws on some serious research, however, it does so in a fun, informal way.” Rachael Steven, Creative Review

“This playful book addresses the everyday type consumer.” Eye Magazine

“I never thought a book on Typography would make me laugh so much.” Caryl Jones