A four-day festie in SE15 sounds like just the tonic for that vague, existential ‘back to school’ feeling we sometimes get around this time of year.
This is actually – unbelievably – the first ever Peckham Festival, a collaboration between Copeland Park, the Bussey Building and Southwark Council (and a few others). And, glancing through the schedule of events, it’s something of a cultural stew of art, live music, food, drink, clubbing and cinema.
For the duration Copeland Park, home to the Bussey Building, is set to become a bucolic, um, paradise – called Reclaimed Rye, in fact – stuffed with greenery, flowers, seating areas, installations and festoon lighting. Oh, and, on Saturday, there’ll be food stalls (and bike jousting) too.
Throughout the weekend an open house policy is operating across artists’ studios, from those in the Bussey Building to the arches underneath Peckham Rye train station, plus a new body of five commissioned artworks involving collaborations between artists and traders on Rye Lane. There’s an intriguing-sounding architectural walk through Peckham on Friday evening, too.
The majority of events and workshops will cost nada, but festival goers should probably sign up to workshops, performances and events on the website (details below) in advance.
So what else can you expect? Well, you could burn up some kcals on the bicycle-powered cinema showing the classic eighties musical The Blues Brothers (Thurs 7pm). And afterwards shake it loose at the Nines, where there’ll be live blues.
You could then hang out at Brick Brewery for an early Oktoberfest (from 2pm, Saturday 10th), when their own German brewer is in residence. And don’t miss Breaking Bread, taking place on Sunday, a sort of home cook-off at Cinnamon Tree Bakery, with the expected artisan food, Brick beer and DJ Craig Jamieson spinning some choonage.
Finally, we recommend you swing by Fruité on Saturday, the first of a series of parties intended to help create an upbeat, social hub for the LGBT+ folk of Peckham. Nice; and it’s at Plus4four in Copeland Park which has a cosy terrace, too.
So all in all, let’s hope this oddly cloudy heatwave continues into the weekend, eh?
