One-off festival of Sri Lankan food, music and culture comes to Battersea
In celebration of South Asian Heritage Month, a one off festival is coming to Battersea in a huge celebration of Sri Lankan food and culture.
Launched by the female-run Sri Lankan Culture Collective, this first of its kind festival will take place between midday and 10.30pm on Battersea Barge, Wandsworth, on September 22.
On the day, visitors can expect masterclasses on how to make Sri Lanka’s most iconic dishes and style staple sari’s as well as talks, comedy and a huge line-up of live music performances and DJ sets.
Try making Sri Lanka’s famous dish, hoppers, with chefs from Hop & Roll at the Hopper Making Masterclass. These will be eaten with curries provided by the cult Sri Lankan supper club MUVS ALL DAY and sambols by Ruci Foods.
Join Sari maverick Mehala Ford of Friday Sari Project, for a lesson on how to drape contemporary sari. Ms Ford will share the history and significance of the sari and how it continues to impact modern fashion and culture, with the chance to browse some beautiful hand-picked items in the pop-up shop.
Taking to the main stage to kick off the evening programme will be BBC’s new comedy award finalist, the comedy writer, director and stand-up Hari Kanth, who will be joined by up and coming talent from the South Asian comedy community.
Other highlights include live music from the folky acoustic soul of Arjun Nala, the ethereal electronica of performer and musician Toulip Wonder and the multi-genre sounds of musician, producer and singer Nush.
Already announced DJ’s include AP, who will throw down cutting edge Tamil music, mixing it with hip hop and afrobeat. He has notably played at the Sid Sriram pre-party, GV Prakash in Germany and an exclusive DJ set for BBC Asian Network.
Sri Lankan Culture Collective is a non-profit that is the brainchild of three Sri Lankan women, Rosh Olivelle, Thana Sivasambu, and Ranji Thangiah.
They said: “Our event aims to put the focus on Sri Lanka for South Asian Heritage Month, to showcase and elevate Sri Lankan culture, a community that has grown up within the diaspora as first and second generation Sri Lankan British creatives, and back in the motherland.
“Our culture is rich, vibrant and diverse and needs its own platform, so it can be appreciated for its complexity, history and unique and powerful story. We’re delighted to launch the first of its kind, and one that we hope will be the first of many. Join us!”
The Sri Lankan Culture Collective is launched in collaboration with Hera Project X, a platform showcasing creative Sri Lankan founders and entrepreneurs, with funding by Wandsworth council.
Early bird tickets are on sale now from £30, with free-to-attend workshops here.
Pictured top: Performer and musician Toulip Wonder will be performing at the festival (Picture: Ranji Thangiah)