From Wembley Futures
On Saturday, 7 July 2018 Wembley Futures will be hosting the third
annual Heart of Wembley Festival. This vibrant community event will take
place from 1pm-6pm on St Johns Road, off Wembley High Road by Primark.
St Johns Road will be closed to traffic for the day, allowing the
community to reclaim a street in the town centre for the festivities.
The theme of this year’s festival is ‘Celebrating Family’, and the
festival will truly have something for everyone in families both big and
small.
The Festival is one of the activities by Wembley Futures, one of 150
recipient groups across the UK to be awarded funding by The Big Local. A
long-term innovative programme that aims to achieve lasting change, The
Big Local provides a mixture of funding, finance and support.
The Heart of Wembley Festival will celebrate the diversity and
community in Wembley Central through a mix of both local and
professional music, talented dance performances, fragrant food, bright
colours and vivid fabrics of the performers’ costumes.
The atmosphere will be charged with much vitality and vivaciousness!
Stage will feature music spanning the genres including vintage music
hailing from the 1940s and beyond, the sounds of acoustic guitar, and
Afro-Brazilian harmonies that recall the band members’ far flung
homelands.
Drumming workshops will run all day, their rhythmic beats inviting
all festival goers to come and have a try on African drums and the Dhol
drums, while dancers will conjure a voyage to countries from Ireland to
Nepal and from India to Cuba with intricate, traditional dance
performances. For a contrast, contemporary dancers specialising in
street dance will also be showing their skills to the festival crowd.
Come and taste the flavours of cooking from around the world, with
vendors offering authentic Nigerian, Caribbean, and Hungarian street
food as well as a range of both sweet and savoury treats from Portugal,
artisan brownies, and delicious cakes. Don’t forget a refreshing drink
of fresh coconut as well.
Family activities will abound, with creative craft tables, an artwork
display by Elsley School, and fantastic performances from children from
Brent Music, Ark Elvin School, Elsely School, and the 360 Theatre
group. Become a character, an animal or simply enjoy a gorgeous design
with a visit to the Festival face-painters. With a story area,
including books and a storyteller, there will be plenty to carry away
the imaginations of all members of the family. Let street theatre
artists and magician woo you!
Be sure to cycle up a smoothie and repair your bike, courtesy of
Brent Cycling; have a chat with the always-welcoming community stalls,
try some aloe products from Forever Living, and stop by the Wembley
Futures stall for more details about current activities and upcoming
plans for the year ahead. Wembley Central Safer Neighbourhood Police
will be on hand to hear any concerns you may have.
Francis Henry, Chair of Wembley Futures, said:
I hope to see both
new and familiar faces at the Festival in July. We are building on the
success of the previous two years’ Festivals and look forward to a great
day out with friends, family and neighbours. Heart of Wembley Festival
2018 promises to be a fun-packed day.
