Festival of fun returns to Southmere Park in Thamesmead
A community festival returns to Southmere Park in Abbey Wood on August 20, bringing together residents and visitors for a free celebration of all things Thamesmead.
Organised by residents and with a programme packed full of home-grown talent — including Britain’s Got Talent champions Twist and Pulse and singer Samm Henshaw — the day features live music, dance, performance, food and family activities as well as the much-anticipated annual dog show.
Attracting more than 6,000 attendees in 2021, Thamesmead festival is fast-becoming a staple in the London cultural calendar and with the newly opened Elizabeth Line making transport to Abbey Wood that bit easier, Londoners are invited to come and see what Thamesmead has to offer.
The entire festival is programmed and led by the Festival Production Group, made up of 14 residents representative of Thamesmead’s diverse cultures and neighbourhoods.
Together with cultural event producers Serious, they have been working to deliver an ambitious showcase of local talent.
This year’s event will see the return of its three main stages – the Park Stage, up on the hill, hosted by Fusion; the Southmere Stage in Southmere Square, hosted by BBC radio DJ Jumoké Fashola and the more informal Unplugged Stage among the leafy trees in Southmere Park, which will be hosted by comedian and film-maker Riordan Tyson.
Confirmed music acts include South London-raised singer Samm Henshaw, jazz trumpeter Byron Wallen, Chicago-style harmonica blues from Old Boys Blues Band, poetic hip-hop musician Deesense, soul and jazz vocalist J Cocoa and rapper singer-songwriter Jules among many others, with Radio Thamesmead DJs (RTM.fm) keeping the music flowing throughout the day in between sets.
Dance highlights for 2022 include street-dance champions Twist and Pulse, performances from Thamesmead-based dance troupe Dynamix and Greenwich Dance.
Community stalls and charities providing information about the work they do will run throughout the day – including Freedom Network, Counselling Matters Bexley, Parent Power Education, Healthwatch Greenwich, West Thamesmead Community Association and Bexley Fostering among others.
Free workshops and activities for children and adults – from drumming and making workshops to inflatable goal post penalty shoot-outs – will run throughout the day.
To top the day off, a mouth-watering menu of global cuisine and drink will be available, with this year’s offering includes Peter’s Panas serving the best Venezuelan gluten-free arepas in London, tasty Jamaican eats from The Caribbean Hut, Nigerian cuisine from Yeti’s Authentic Kitchen and Bexley Mixology providing a refreshing selection of handcrafted mocktails.
Deborah Frimpong, a festival organiser, said: “What an opportunity to see Thamesmead recognised for all the good things that are happening here.
Main Picture: Tom Whitby