Bankside Open Spaces Festival 2024 on the street - tours, theatre, performances

BOSFest takes over 2 streets in London’s SE1 - filling Union Street from Flat Iron Square to Borough High Street and Redcross Way with music, fun, stalls and performances! In 2024 you can expect the return of the colourful Latina Fiesta Procession who will again open the festival after dancing their way through Elephant and Castle! We’ll also be welcoming UDM Samba who always fill the streets with colour, energy and music.

Dance stage on Union Street

New for 2024 - Pempeople/LEX/SUM Dance Stage at the top of Union Street near Borough High Street. With over ten DJs throughout the day and music from 12-7pm. As well as sets from some of London's best selectas, the stage is also delivering live painting by Lottie Mac and a living art installation by Big Boy Blooms!

Street performances

  • Watch out for the Latina Fiesta Procession entering the festival from Borough High Street from 12pm and helping to open proceedings on the Main Stage at Flat Iron Square. Expect lively performances from groups representing Latin American culture.

  • UDM Samba - performing on Union Street at 3pm

New to BOSFest - Circus skills

Children, and the young at heart, will love trying out a new skill on Redcross Way this year with Mike from Splats Circus. Try your hand at juggling, perhaps a bit of hula hooping, or maybe the diablo is your style - you’ll be wanting to run away with the circus by the end of the day!

Find circus skills by Crossbones Graveyard Ribbon Gates on Redcross Way.

Activities - walking tours, theatre and wellness

  • Walking tours - take a deep dive into the area’s intriguing history with one of London Street Tours BOSFest Tours - crafted especially for the day. Booking required - click here to book.

  • The Goose and Graveyard Tour and talk at Crossbones Graveyard at 12pm and 1pm. This activity will introduce you to Crossbones Graveyard' rich and vibrant history with Jennifer Cooper and Lucy Coleman Talbot. Crossbones researcher, Lucy will lead you through the former burial ground's social history from its origins through to the early 1990s. From here, Jennifer, a.k.a Vigil Aunty of the Magical Collective which leads the Crossbones Vigil to Honour the Outcast, will tell the story of The Goose and her secret history, revealed on the 23rd of November 1996. Crossbones Graveyard is a unique place of peace and tranquillity nestled in the heart of Bankside and surrounded by new developments. It holds a deep cultural, historical and spiritual significance as it tells the history of London as seen from the bottom up. As well as holding the mortal remains of 15,000 women, children and men, it also carries the memory of the Winchester Geese, the women who worked in the brothels and "stews" of the medieval Liberty of the Clink. Licensed by the Church to ply their prostitute trade but denied a Christian burial.

  • Murder Mystery improv - are you on the case? Look out for roaming detectives!

  • Insecurity Guards - here to protect you from your insecurities!

  • Relaxing crafts - flower pressing with Crafting Joy and medieval making with Old Operating Theatre in Red Cross Garden and over in Marlborough Sports Garden, clay craft with Mud Gang and tile painting with M.Y.O.