On Wednesday, 21 June 2023 the West Hendon Arts and Culture Society (WHACS) hosted a Summer Solstice Festival for local residents. This vibrant community event took place from 3pm-8pm on Damsel Walk by West Hendon Broadway. The event provided fun for all, whilst showing the opportunities for bringing the public space to life with activities.
The Summer Solstice offered a fantastic mix of local and professional performers including vintage pop trio the glamourous London Belles, bohofolk singer-songwriter PandorasDiary, and Jada Funk Collective performing 70s and ‘80s hits. A Chinese ribbon dance and Indian classical music helped transport festival goers around the world while Broadfields Primary School students joined the celebrations with a flowing dance and the BEAT Jazz Ensemble and Barnet Education Arts Trust shared jazz hits with flare.
Offstage, local children enjoyed the chance to make and create at the Art Workshop with a Summer Solstice theme while balloon modelling artists brought smiles to many faces with their colourful creations. The African Drumming Workshop introduced those of all ages to drumming, adding to the day’s musical theme.
The event also featured in the London Festival of Architecture programme for 2023, the theme of which is ‘In Common’. This month-long celebration of architecture and city-making aims to open up discussions around architecture, environment and city spaces. The Summer Solstice Festival included an interactive architecture and design workshop led by Middlesex University on the theme of interiors and a student exhibition of work on ways in which local communities can re-engage following the Covid-19 pandemic and design can re-energise high streets.
With tantalising street food and lots of useful information from community stalls there was something for everyone throughout the afternoon and evening festivities.
Naomi Stanford, a member of WHACS said: “The Summer Solstice Festival showed the possibilities for exciting community events in West Hendon. We look forward to sharing more opportunities to come together as a community.”
The Summer Solstice Festival was curated by Udenson Caldbeck Associates, an urban regeneration, economic development, and events consultancy based in northwest London.
For more information, please contact Osita Udenson on 07875 588 107 or udenson@btinternet.com.