Festival season doesn't have to end with the August bank holiday – and Emerge East, a central London festival in Barking Riverside, bringing together creativity, wellness, play and a good old-fashioned boogie, is proof.
This free celebration of creativity, community and nature takes place on Saturday September 6, where there'll be activities and attractions for all ages – from a riverside sauna pop-up, to a build-as-you-go play area for children.
Now in its fourth year, Emerge East is all about bringing Londoners together – and showing those who've never visited Barking Riverside just what they're missing. Not only that, but it's easily accessible via the Suffragette Line with links to the Victoria, District, Hammersmith and City and c2c lines or by the Uber Boat by Thames Clippers. It's a must for bringing family and friends together over music, street food, art and more. Sign up for your free tickets here and read on to find out more:
Regardless of your taste in DJs, there'll be something you’ll enjoy at Emerge East. On this year’s amped up, all-day music stage, catch chilled, melodic numbers from Girls Love Soul, deep grooves with NTS’s Tone, plus a headline set by Capital XTRA Breakfast’s Shayna Marie. For little partiers, there’ll be a session from Family Rave purveyors Big Fish Little Fish, too, so everyone can get involved.
A brilliant returning attraction is the Emerging Makers’ Market, which spotlights the creativity of local designers, makers and craftspeople and showcases the impressive breadth of skill in this little patch of east London. Meanwhile, at the Home Cooks, try street food with a twist – you’ll be served up secret family recipes (which, as we all know, are the best recipes) by talented locals who’ve been trained to become street food traders for the day.
There’s plenty for younger visitors to do at Emerge East, and one highlight is the Window to the Block installation by masters of play Woodland Tribe. This is part-artwork, part-play area, offering a vantage point from which to see the whole festival, with loads of interactive features and a hands-on construction workshop, so crafty kids can get involved with the build.
If you’re looking to feel awed by something bigger than yourself, Emerge East will be the site of the European debut of Meliora*, a large architectural sculpture by the design duo Atelier Sisu. Illuminated by an interior lightscape, this imagination-sparking piece of public art – named after the Latin word for ‘better things’ – invites you to explore the huge curves of its structure, while blissing out to an accompanying sound collage. The piece aims to create reflection for positive change – aligning well with Emerge East’s MO, too.
*Meliora is an artwork by studio Atelier Sisu, presented by Creative Barking and Dagenham in partnership with Barking Riverside, with the support of Global Streets and funding from the Arts Council.
A perennial highlight of Emerge East is its dedicated wellbeing area – and this year, it's been made even bigger. Enjoy relaxation in the popular Riverside Sauna (book your tickets here before they go!) before refreshing with a cold dip in the plunge pool, all while taking in sweeping views of the Thames, leaving you chilled and de-stressed. Sounds pretty dreamy, right?
Find out more about Emerge East on Saturday September 6, and book your free tickets.