Published on
July 6, 2021
Happy Streets Festival will bring arts, culture, and family activities to the streets of Nine Elms on Saturday 10 July.
The free one-day festival will run from 12noon to 6pm. The festival is designed for people who live, work and go to school in Nine Elms. Local arts organisations are at the very heart of the programming such as future ‘Cultural Anchor’ tenants World Heart Beat, along with Battersea Arts Centre’s Beatbox Academy and Impact Dance.
BAC’s Beatbox Academy at Happy Streets in 2019. Picture by Robert Piwko / www.robertpiwko.co.uk
Wandsworth Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Services and Open Spaces, Councillor Steffi Sutters said: “I’m delighted that Yinka Ilori’s joyful Thessaly Road bridge is once again at the heart of the Happy Streets festival. The festival continues our commitment to embed high-quality arts and culture in the Nine Elms area for the whole community to enjoy.”
On Saturday, the flurry of activity at St George’s Primary include performances by Nine Elms’ WHABBStudio as part of their ‘Citizens of the climate’ project and ‘Do What Yah Mama Told Yah’ by Just More Productions. Drop by Nine Elms Arts Ministry for some creative mindfulness activities such as stone painting and making bowls of hope, or join The People Speak at their Talkaoke workshop running all day.
At the ROSE Community Clubroom, visitors can take part in material upcycling workshops, beatboxing, yoga or pizza making.
Creative baking: Make your own pizza
Get lost in the clouds on Carey Gardens Green with Cloudscapes performances by Gobbledegook and discover more about your local history and area with talks by Jeanne Rathbone and Brain Barnes.
Over at Griffin Primary Playground, circus act Upswing will be performing and running workshops on the day. For the little ones, there will be Forest School Workshops taking place – a great opportunity to explore the forest space and make memories.
Powerleague, Nine Elms will be hosting a football open day with drop-in and play and St George’s Church, Thessaly will be providing refreshments as well as hosting an exhibition by resident artist Alexa Muen.
The festival takes place mainly outdoors with social distancing in place, there will be limited capacity at each venue, so book early on the day to avoid disappointment. Find out more about how the festival is Covid-secure in line with Government guidance.
Check out the full programme and festival maps to plan your Happy Streets.
The festival is part of Wandsworth Arts Fringe (25 June-11July), the first London arts festival to bring back live events and aims to make a wide range of artforms accessible to all residents of the borough, and to help residents and visitors celebrate the borough’s vibrant cultural sector.
