Imagination Takes Over At Festival On Europe's Longest High Street

Laura Reynolds
By Laura Reynolds Last edited 116 months ago
Imagination Takes Over At Festival On Europe's Longest High Street

Streatham Fest

With its claim to being the longest high street in Europe, Streatham High Road should be more than capable of throwing a good party, and the Streatham Festival is the perfect opportunity for local businesses and artists to showcase their talent.

Taking place 10-13 July, this year's festival takes on the theme of  "Street of my Imagination". All facets of this are explored at the festival's flagship event, Streatham UnCommon.

On Saturday, the Common will host a veritable feast of activities and exhibits, from a giant dress hovering in the air — created by Streatham Women’s Sewing Group — to a dance/circus fusion show, international food on 'Eat Street' and locally produced crafts on 'Made in Streatham Boulevard'.  The imagination part of the festival certainly seems to be working, as ours went into overdrive at the very mention of an "incredible Buffalo Dragon to explore and ride on".

And for anyone familiar with the lie of the land on Streatham Common, fear not — a land train and poetry-reciting rickshaw will be on hand to provide a helping hand up that hill.

Art23 sees shops and businesses double up as art galleries for the duration of the festival. The work of local artists will be displayed in windows, allowing people to browse at their leisure or follow the art trail from start to finish.

The musical highlight is the Streatham Strut. This involves 10 free gigs along the High Road on Saturday 12 July, with singer-songwriters, rock choirs, opera, folk, reggae and blues all showcased. There's even a Dolly Parton tribute act for those with Glastonbury withdrawal symptoms.

The festival also has craft workshops, author events, dance lessons and local history walks, before coming to a close with cabaret, comedy and a gospel night on Sunday evening.

At this time of year, local festivals are two-a-penny, but we reckon this is one worth checking out.

Streatham Festival runs 10-13 July. Most events are free with no booking required, but check individual events for pricing and details.

Last Updated 03 July 2014