Festivals and Events

Islington hosts a number of exciting and colourful events and festivals throughout the year. A wide programme of events is organised with the intention to meet the desires of the diverse community and entice visitors to the borough. 

You will find details of forthcoming events listed below.

Environmental Events

We've organised some some fun and informative events over next few months to help promote understanding of environmental issues. All events are free. For more information, see the Environmental Events link on the right.

Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhood

Funky Fridays in August

Get into the Olympic spirit with our themed Fridays. Bring a picnic and join us for a summer of fun with our outdoor family activities. Events are free and run from 1.00pm to 4.00pm unless otherwise stated. No booking required.

Puppet Fun
1 August

1.15 and 2.30pm: Chicken Licken by Dynamic New Animation. The trilogy of classic tales from the Ladybird books - Chicken Licken, The Little Red Hen and The Fox and the Hen- are brought to life using shadow and rod puppetry. Original musical score by Jon Owen (45 minutes). 
1-4pm: Drop in and make your very own Chicken Licken puppet.
2pm: Enjoy a guided tour of the Museum’s puppet collection (30 minutes). 

Summer Festival
3 August, 11.30am-4.30pm

Free. All ages. Join in for this tent-free festival in the museum grounds which will be humming with the sounds of live music by Tragic Roundabout. Enjoy street performers, rickshaw rides, face painting, food stalls, children’s activities and games. Don’t miss it!

World’s Longest Plasticine Snake
8 August

Could you be a Guinness World Record Holder? Now thanks to Plasticine you could! Take part in the attempt to build the World's Longest Plasticine Snake in our free to enter activity in the Summerly room! Continues on 9 & 10 August. 

Family Games Day
Friday 15 August

How fit is your family? Find out by taking part in our mini-Games. Prize at the end of the day for the family with the most points!  Design your own medal at our Art Smarts table.

Teddy Bears’ Picnic
22 August, 12-4pm

Dress up your teddies and bring them for a picnic in the Museum grounds!  Enjoy balloon animals and magic. Meet Rupert Bear. Follow our Teddy Bear trail. Make a teddy bear mask. Enter your Teddy in the Best Dressed Bear contest (at 3.30pm). Bring a picnic or buy lunch at Benugos Café.

Kids’ Carnival
29 August

Avoid the Notting Hill crush! Bop to the lively rhythms of the steel pan drums by Carribé Steel. Make a colourful carnival headdress and join our procession through the Museum at 3.30pm.

For more information about any of the events, see the link on the right.

Elthorne Community Carnival

10 August
Elthorne Park

A summer carnival with stalls selling food from differnt cultures and bric-a-brac. Activities including costume making, puppet shows, steelbands, dance displays and much more are sure to make the day full of fun for all the family.

For further information please call 020 7281 6483

FinFest

10 August, 10am-8pm
Blackstock Road

A great day out for all the family, encouraging local people to learn more about the different cultures of the shops located in Blackstock Road and projects currently running in the area. 

A range of stalls and activities will be available for visitors to explore and take part in.

For more details please call 020 7272 1465 or email contact@finfuture.co.uk

Thanksgiving Festival

16 August, 12 noon-4pm
Giesbach Road, N19

After 18 years of services to the Chinese and wider communities in Islington the Islington Chinese Association has to vacate its current premises in Giesbach Road.

The Thanksgiving Festival will focus on the happiness and memories that the Association has contributed to Islington. Activities will include:

• Tai-chi excercise and demonstration
• children's choir
• traditional Chinese dance
• Chinese music
• Cantonese operatic singing
• Chinese snacks, food, artefacts and memorabilia

The festival is open to all, thanking the good neighbours of Giesbach Road and Elthorne and Junction areas.

Angel Canal Festival

7 September, 11am-5pm
City Road Lock and Basin

A super family day out on and around City Road Basin. With boat trips, a wide variety of stalls, live music and dance, food and entertainment there is plenty of fun to be had by everyone.

For more information, please see the link under Useful Websites on the right.

Back and Kicking!

13 September, 12 noon-6pm
New River Green Childrens Centre, Ramsay Walk, N1

A celebration of the re-opening of a bigger and better community centre including Turkish dancing, Lydia's curry kitchen, kids dance workshop and much more!  Why not seize the opportunity to enjoy the new centre's wonderful environmental and meet the New River Green Family Project team. 

Gillespie Park Festival

14 September, 1-6pm

The 22nd Gillespie Park Festival aims to bring together the local community to take part in and enjoy a whole range of activities and entertainment.

Live music, a variety of workshops for all ages, storytelling and drumming are just a few of the activities on offer throughout the afternoon.

Timbuktu 30th Renunion Day

28 September, 1-7pm
Timbuktu Adventure Playground, Grenville Road, N19

A celebration of 30 years of the playground featuring entertainment, food and drink and a lot of happy memories!

For more information telephone 020 7272 2183

Go Green Week

13-19 October
Highbury Fields School

A week of eco activities and energy efficiency tasters including films, bike rides, local grown fruit and veg and eco make-up. 

For more details call 020 7288 2115 or email jmhodson@highburyfields.islington.sch.uk