Bankside Open Spaces Festival is an action-packed afternoon of free entertainment run by Bankside Open Spaces Trust. We aim to offer something for everyone with activities for families, music lovers, fans of dance and sport, culture vultures, people interested in local organisations and activities and those who like the quieter side of life too! The gigs, stalls and activities on offer are genre busting - take a look below to plan your afternoon on June 8th 2024!

 Main Stage 2024 Line Up

Our Main Stage can be found on Flat Iron Square, Union Street SE1 - it’ll take you on a musical journey from Latin America to blues, jazz, funk, country and ending with a banjo-whacking, guitar-shredding, fiddle-sawing, foot-stomping, whiskey-soaked all-female assault on the senses from Dana Immanuel & The Stolen Band. There’s food and drink nearby so you won’t need to move all day!

From 12pm - The Fiesta Latina Procession, from Elephant and Castle Business Forum in the caption and organised by the Yurupari Dance Group, returns to BOSFest with dancers celebrating our area’s rich links to Latin America:

12:00 - Bullerengue dance from Colombia 

12:05  - Dance from Bolivia 

12.15 - Speeches and opening  

12:35 - Joropo dance from Venezuela 

12:40 - Puya dance from Colombia 

12:45 - Dance and live music from Peru 



Followed by live music from:

1pm - The Soft Shell Crabs 

2pm - Remi Bankyln

3pm - Sweet Giant

4pm - Pelican Assembly 

5pm - Ma Polaine’s Great Decline

6pm - Art Terry & The Black Bohemians

7pm - Ese & The Vooduu People

8pm - Dana Immanuel & The Stolen Band

Our relaxed poetic alt folk, Americana, magical musical bandstand can be found in Red Cross Garden, a green oasis on Redcross Way created for the tired residents of Southwark in 1886 by social reformer Octavia Hill. Enjoy a laid back blend of music and poetry all afternoon on 8 June. The garden is also home to festival crafts from Old Operating Theatre, visiting Bee Urban hives, a pop up bar from The Glad pub and free Breathe London massage. Oh and the maypole!

1pm - Lovell

2pm - Glad Folk

3pm - Lizzy O’Connor

4pm - Verklempt Family

5pm - Whiskey Moon Face

6pm - Moondusty

7pm - Rob Corcoran 

plus

Collected Poets throughout the afternoon with verses of hope and inspiration.

MSG Community Stage - Bankside Open Spaces Festival 2024

Performances and dance workshops:

12:30pm - Elephant & Castle Choir: Local choir returns to charm us with their voices.

1:05pm - Jig and a Swig: Irish dancing performance and workshop - come and get jigging!

1:50pm - Rock Choir: contemporary choir singing unique vocal versions of classic and current pop & rock songs.

2:30pm - Some Voices: Original arrangements of popular songs, ranging from Bowie to Bjork, from Stevie Wonder to Stevie Nicks, from Folk to Hip Hop, and everything in between - all with a Some Voices twist.

3:10pm - London Soul Choir: An inclusive community choir - singing with soul!

3.50pm - Heart n Soul: We’re so excited to welcome Heart n Soul to BOSFest 24! This award-winning creative community and arts charity champion the power and talents of people with learning disabilities and autistic people. Together they making great art with imagination, love and trust.

4.30pm - Upside Down Dance School: Street dance performances and a chance to get moving too!

5.05pm - Niimei Cultural Group, African dance

5.35pm - South London Voices: Join this women’s community choir for a fun, upbeat song selection!

6.05pm - Nunhead Choir: Nunhead Community Choir is a fun, friendly group that just loves to sing.  Songs include pop classics, show tunes and folk songs from all around the world, the majority arranged by talented musical director, Ben Swan.

6.35pm - Salsateca: Just Keep Dancing! Salsa workshop for everyone - just turn up and join in.

Free Sports Workshops

FOOTBALL PITCH

11-1pm - Pride of Lions Walking Football, walking football demonstration match

3-5pm - Regan's Soccer School football workshops for children

WALL BALL AREA 

12-4pm - UK Wall Ball will show you how to play this fast growing sport!

From 12pm - The Fitness Rooms - fitness challenge!

Also in Marlborough Sports Garden:

Free craft workshops from 12pm-7pm

Clay craft with Mud Gang

M.Y.O bring you a flower printing workshop - make a beautiful tote bag, tea shirt or tea towel!

Children’s activities and face painting from Coin Street

Make a festival mask with local fantastic children and young people’s theatre - Unicorn Theatre

Flower Pressing with Crafting Joy.

BOSFest24 Stalls

Spit & Sawdust bar

Big Plant Giveaway from Bankside Open Spaces Trust

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

Pempeople/LEX/SUM Dance Stage

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

  • 2pm and 5pm London Street 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.

  • 12 and 1pm Crossbones Graveyard Garden tours - explore the history of Crossbones Graveyard with Jen Cooper (Vigil Auntie and Crossbones Graveyard champion) and Lucy Coleman-Talbot, whose PHD focused on the garden and it’s incredible social history. Tours are free - at 12 and 1pm. Just turn up!

  • Massage with Breathe London near Red Cross Garden. Free massages throughout the afternoon - just turn up!

Roaming on Union Street

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

The line up can change - keep an eye on our social media for updates.