This is a sponsored article on behalf of Emerge East.
Head down to the river on Saturday 12 September for a huge festival spanning music, art, wellness experiences, food and drink. Entry is FREE!
Emerge East is back at Barking Riverside for its biggest programme yet, and everyone's welcome. The neighbourhood comes alive with art, music, creativity, nature and community spirit, through a vast line-up of events and activities.
At the heart of the festival is the Barking Riverside Block Party, an open-air stage that remixes renowned artists from London's music scene, alongside emerging talent from within the Borough. Headlining 2026 is DJ AG, who has collaborated with Skepta, Ed Sheeran and JME, among others, and was named Time Out's Londoner of the Year 2024. His high-energy headline set promises to be one of the biggest moments of the festival, so don't miss it.
Joining DJ AG is a line-up that celebrates the breadth of London's music scene. Mak 10 brings his genre-blending sound, moving between grime, UK garage, Afro House, Tribal House and soulful electronic music, alongside Glade Marie, RAIDAA and Donnie Sunshine. In short, expect a packed day of music and a taste of the sounds shaping London right now.
Another highlight of the programme is Pollenarium, a new large-scale interactive installation by renowned artist Luke Jerram and US-based Pneuhaus. It premieres at Emerge East, meaning you can be among the first to see it — it's free to visit, and on display for one day only.
Jerram — best known for his large-scale sculptures of the Moon, the Sun, Earth and Mars — has scaled up a microscopic grain of pollen into a six-metre immersive dome for this new installation. Behind a curtained doorway, more than 100 lenses, each one a camera obscura, reveal an upside-down mosaic of the local landscape, showing how bees see the world.
Pollenarium is commissioned by Creative Barking and Dagenham in partnership with Barking Riverside Limited, with co-commissioning support from the Royal Horticultural Society and the University of Bristol.
Prefer to immerse yourself in nature? Head for the Riverside Sauna & Wellness Zone, and unwind in an outdoor sauna, alongside refreshing cold-water dips. Tickets for the Riverside Sauna & Wellness Zone are £12 and can be prebooked on Eventbrite.
When you've worked up an appetite, swing by Home Cooks: A Taste of Barking Riverside. Here, local residents become street food chefs for the day, cooking up a storm, serving family recipes and showcasing the diverse flavours of the neighbourhood.
The Emerging Makers' Market gives you a chance to support independent artists, designers and local businesses, while also offering creative workshops, family activities and plenty of spaces to relax.
All the fun takes place at Barking Riverside, east London's largest new neighbourhood on the banks of the Thames, easily accessible by London Overground and Uber Boat by Thames Clippers. Emerge East gives you a great reason to explore the area, while enjoying the live entertainment. In short: a fantastic free day out for all the family.
Emerge East takes place on 12 September 2026, 11am-9pm outside Barking Riverside Overground Station, and is free to attend. Visit the website to view the 2026 programme and follow @barking_riverside for more information and updates.
Emerge East is a collaboration between Barking Riverside Limited – the Master Developer behind Barking Riverside – and Hemingway Design, in partnership with Creative Barking & Dagenham. Emerge East is supported by a range of partners, including Bellway, L&Q, Envac UK, Mackley’s, Acre Landscapes and Stantec.
