Festival fever swept Stoke Newington on Sunday 10 June, with people turning out in droves to attend the annual Stokefest event in Clissold Park.
There was barely a square of grass to call your own as around 5000 people (or at least that's what the organisers tell me) descended with picnic blankets and provisions to enjoy the day's programme in glorious sunshine. Stokefest produced a brilliant hybrid of music festival meets village fete reflecting the main pursuits of the area. The (multitudes) of children of N16 got happily lost inside the free mazes and exhausted themselves on pirate ropes and trampolines. There was even a mini electric train running around the perimeter of the event for when they – and their chaperones - got a bit weary.
The music stages were an eclectic mix, with old favourites such as the reggae tent and the notable new inclusion of the inflatable Global Hoedown stage which hosted some brilliant acts in the afternoon - Jewish hip hop, anyone? Local bands Morning Bride and Bikini Beac – bedecked in their usual Fez finery - both played storming sets to a loyal crowd more than happy to dance a Sunday afternoon away.
The combined novelty and nostalgia of being able to buy a beer from a bar on an old Routemaster didn't wear thin - a fact some people may well have regretted the next morning when nursing hangovers and sunburn! Art installations from the Art in the Park project and a Sunstone stage dedicated to global music and movement and the Amp Circus tent – complete with trapeze - ensured there was something to appeal to everyone.
Given the widespread advertising of Stokefest across London - even reaching the dizzying heights of the recommended club listings in Saturday’s Guardian - it felt like less of a local affair than usual. This was a pity in some ways - many of the food stalls were from Camden and other far-flung places – but, all in all, it was a resounding success, and if it continues to develop and expand then it will be another event to put Stokey on the map.
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