Islington Festival is back.
With 14 events across 10 days in 5 different venues.
Which, for anyone struggling with the maths, equals one hell of a celebration.
It all started in summer 2020, with a couple of local garden parties set up to bring people together after the first lock-down. Community spirit was strong and it was a chance for people to finally enjoy live music again, whilst conveniently sticking to the rules. Even if you weren’t attending the actual event, you could lean out your window and hear Islington alive with the soothing sounds of a string quintet. Proper lovely stuff. So, no wonder, it was a raving success. So much so in fact that last year organisers Joana Ly and Martin André decided to take things to the next level, organising a full-blown festival.
And now they’re back – 15-24th of July – this time, throwing a bit of art into the mix too.
St Mary’s, Christ Church Islington, Newington Green Meeting House and the pocket-sized Little Angel Theatre will all be hosting events. There’ll also be a gentle nod to the festival’s roots thanks to a number of alfresco lunch-time concerts in Islington Square.
As for the performances, highlights include a piano recital from award-winning pianist Dmitrii Kalashnikov; a night designed to teach guests about the evolution of trombone; Dolph van Eden and a drawing class where students are invited to respond to the rhythm and movements of live musicians and photographer Marc Gascoigne teaching the secrets behind taking a great snap.
You can find the full line-up and book tickets via their website here, with prices starting at £12. Otherwise, you can opt for an all-inclusive pass for £140. Which, for a week and a half of non-stop culture and community, by our calculations, sounds…
…definitely worth the price.
NOTE: Islington Festival is back for their second year between the 15th and 24th of July. To see the full line-up of events or to book yourself a ticket, visit their website here.
Images: Marc Gascoigne
Looking for other fun stuff to do in the neighbourhood? Take a look at our Islington area guide.