Garage and soul legends Kele Le Roc and Terri Walker set to host Thamesmead Festival

This Summer, legendary R&B garage star Kele Le Roc and soul singer Terri Walker will headline a free community festival with a star studded line-up.

The Thamesmead Festival will be hosted at Southmere Park on August 10.

The festival is funded by Peabody, which is putting culture at the heart of its long-term regeneration of Thamesmead. 

Kelly Biggs, 48, better known by her stage name Kele Le Roc, shot to fame with two top ten smashes 26 years ago, earning her MOBO Awards for Best Newcomer and Best Single.

The Thamesmead Festival will see the star team up with Ms Walker for a very special set with DJ Cappa Chxno.

Renowned for celebrating the talent and creativity of its community, the festival’s hosts will welcome Jerusha Frimpong – a Thamesmead-born Soul and R&B artist and a former contestant on The Voice.

Ms Frimpong said: “I can’t wait to perform with Terri and Kele and represent Thamesmead. 

“Their songs are so influential in the music scene, so what an honour to be able to support them! I’m ready to sing my heart out on stage and enjoy such an amazing moment. 

“Thamesmead I hope you are ready for us!”

Featuring a host of talent from Thamesmead, wider South London and beyond, the Thamesmead festival will see Park Stage performances by MOBO-winning rapper Still Shadey, award-winning funk and soul outfit Groove 101, Black Wolf Blues, and local favourites Old Boy Blues Band and MC Redrum. 

Across at the Unplugged Stage, intimate spoken word and acoustic sets will be on show, from the likes of Brit School graduate Gönül and singer-songwriter Sam Winston. 

A short walk away through the trees, the Southmere Stage will be the place to see a range of dance from street dance by locally-based Dynamix to performances by Bollywood Vibes and Capoeira Muzenz. 

Produced by Serious, the festival is programmed by the Festival Production Group (FPG) – a dedicated team of 14 residents from the area.

FPG member and lifelong Thamesmead resident Deborah Frimpong said: “People of different ages, genders, ethnicities and beliefs have come together under one common umbrella to help plan, organise and deliver the BEST Thamesmead Festival so far!” 

New for the festival this year will be a performance of the Thamesmead Anthem, written by local rapper, singer-songwriter, and aspiring author Jules, jazz vocalist J Cocoa, actor Jamie Zubairi, artist Kei and a community choir led by J Cocoa and Mr Zubairi.

Adding to the festival’s family-friendly atmosphere, this year sees an expanded Play Zone and the addition of a Calm Zone, created in collaboration with special educational needs (SEN) charities including Brighter Futures Foundation, Advocacy Greenwich, Javan Cocker Foundation and Bexley Mencap. 

Returning to the festival after its debut in 2023, is the Wanderlust Hill Stage, designed by South East Way, a creative group of Greenwich teenagers committed to offering up-and-coming bands the chance to perform in their hometown. 

Talking about the project, 16-year-old Dezi Amata said: “Wanderlust Hill felt like such an amazing stage to be at in 2023, partly because I know I played a part in having it come to life. 

“This year will be unlike last year in the best way possible, but I don’t want to give anything away! In the years to come I hope we can find more innovative and amazing ways to bring Thamesmead together. 

“I’d love for even more local acts to be showcased.”  

Creativity in all its forms will be on show across the festival site, from the small business market where you can buy hand-stitched African garments and honey made by Thamesmead bees, to mouthwatering culinary options from vendors like Yeti’s Authentic Kitchen offering the best of home-cooked Nigerian cuisine, to ZIZI’s delicious variety of Lebanese and Sierra Leonean food. 

The Thamesmead Festival takes place from 12pm until 7.30pm on August 10.

Picture: From left, Terri Walker and Kelly Biggs, better known by her stage name Kele Le Roc, at a photoshoot in Thamesmead ahead of this year’s Thamesmead Festival (Picture: Stephen Chung / Thamesmead for Peabody)