Join in the joy and fun at the Fore Street Night Festival!

poster advertising fore street night festival On the afternoon and evening of Thursday 1st December Upper Edmonton's streets will be filled with joyous and fun activities. Visitors will be invited into brilliant spaces and shops on Fore Street for some creative, entertaining and thought-provoking experiences. There will be live music, performances, exhibitions, crafts, food and drink, silent discos, reindeers, a town crier, and more.

The first Fore Street Night Festival comes courtesy of Fore Street for All (FSFA), a community interest company that was set up last year and is a collaboration between community group Residents of Edmonton Angel Community Together (REACT), Edmonton art organisation Artist Hive Studios and local architects Fisher Cheng.

Fore Street for All's central mission is delivering an enriching cultural programme of events that is specific to Angel Edmonton and will help reanimate the area's nighttime economy.. Foilowing its first event in December 2021, the organisation received funding from the Mayor of London - one of 15 projects to receive High Streets for All Challenge funding.

The hub of FSFA's activities is the revamped Fore Street Library, now rechristened the Living Room Library. On the first Thursday of each month the library plays host to themed events. So far there has been A Month of Sundays, Beyond the Margins, Greener for All, Black Heritage + Future Dialogues and New Perspectives. The mix of different activities during each of these monthly events combines entertainment and serious themes.

FSFA offers opportunities for people to develop skills and for experienced people to act as mentors.

Night Festival highlights

Stalls, Artwork and a Silent Disco

Stalls: 16:30-19:30, Fore Street Library, N18 2XF

We'll be hosting a range of stalls inside the library to promote local artists, businesses and community groups.

Artwork: 16:30-21:00, Fore Street Library, N18 2XF

Local artist Alf Linney will be exhibiting a collection of his beautfiul sculptures inside the library.

Family-friendly Silent Disco: 17:00-19:00, N18 2XF

We'll have a silent disco for families and children to enjoy.

DJ MCTHICKUM Silent Disco: 19:00-21:00, N18 2XF

Dance to a mix of afrobeat, dancehall, UK rap and hiphop by DJ MCTHICKUM as she takes over the decks on the silent disco!

Mbilla and Somos Chibchas music and dance performances

18:30-19:00, Outside UCKG Help Centre, 6 Sterling Way, N18 2XZ
19:30-19:45, Alleyway underneath Bridport House, N18 2XJ

Join Mbilla Arts african drummers and Colombian dance troupe Somos Chibchas for Banjul to Bogota - a high-energy music and dance performance that will take you on a journey from West Africa to Latin America. Expect infectious rhythms and brightly-coloured costumes that are guaranteed to raise your spirits.

Soft Salon art installation

18:00-21:00, Gaby's, 177 Fore Street, N18 2XB

Artist Cath Carver invites you to the Soft Salon – a textile-based art installation – to play/pause in a tactile immersive environment. You are also invited to join a community conversation about the area and the power of softness with the Agents of Activated Agency. The installation is upstairs at Gaby's (on the first floor) and suitable for all ages.

The Royal Sounds

21:15-22:15, The Gilpin's Bell, N18 2SS

Closing the festival we'll have the incredible roots reggae band the Royal Sounds performing at the Gilpin's Bell. They'll be spreading the message of positivity and unity: a perfect way to end the night!

Links

Fore Street For All

News, comment and features