Crystal Palace stage to host all-star lineup for new open-air festival this summer
Headline acts including Dizzee Rascal and The Streets will take to the stage in Crystal Palace Park this August as it hosts a new open-air festival.
The Crystal Palace Bowl – where Bob Marley played his last and biggest London concert – will be revived this summer with the South Facing Festival running from the 5-31 August.
Created by some of the people behind Field Day, Winterville, Cross The Tracks, Wide Awake and Dimensions, South Facing Festival is set to become an annual event.
The first headline acts that have been announced include: Dizzee Rascal & The Outlook Orchestra, The Streets, Supergrass, Max Richter and the English National Opera (ENO) performing a concert of Tosca.
South Facing Festival Director, Marcus Weedon, said: “After what’s been an extremely difficult 12 months for the live music industry, we can’t wait to put on a fantastic series of events that people can really get excited about.
“Not only do we have some amazing artists who are itching to put on a great show, we also have the privilege of being able to stage the festival at an iconic and important outdoor London venue, which has sadly been dormant in recent years.
“We’re all working incredibly hard to make sure South Facing is a fitting return to glory for the Crystal Palace Bowl.”
The striking outdoor sculptural stage, known as ‘the rusty laptop’ by locals, has been dormant for more than a decade and has fallen into a state of disrepair over recent years.
The crowdfunder has already raised over £36,600 and has received support from across the community.
In addition to crowdfunding, the project is also pitching for backing from the Mayor of London’s #MakeLondon fund, which supports creative, locally-led proposals that benefit the local community.
Noreen Meehan, the Director of the Crystal Palace Festival, said: “We are delighted that South Facing Festival is coming to the Crystal Palace Park bowl, a beautiful and historic event space, with such an exciting plan to reactivate it for the 21st century.
“We are really looking forward to working with South Facing, the festival’s promoters, on community focused programming for all to enjoy.”
South Facing will take place between 5 – 31 August 2021 at the Crystal Palace Bowl. Early Bird tickets start at £35 + booking fee. Sign up to pre-sale tickets via southfacingfestival.com/sign-up.
Main photo: An event at the Crystal Palace Bowl in 1997. Credit: Dennis Gilbert
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