Waterloo Festival

The annual Waterloo Festival is back, taking over the St John’s Waterloo church opposite Waterloo Station for a busy weekend of live music, performances, exhibitions, installations, storytelling, talks, poetry readings and workshops.

The festival places a strong emphasis on bringing together and celebrating Waterloo’s diverse communities and many of the events on the programme are free. This year’s theme is Now I make a leaf of voices - a celebration of the voice of the local community, be they artists, volunteers, festivalgoers, neighbours or just passers-by.

Highlights of this year’s festival programme include (check out the full programme here):

THU 9 JULY AT 6PM
Opening Night
Celebrate the festival launch with an evening of dance, choral music, sculpture and poetry - inspired by this year's theme: Now I make a leaf of voices. Enjoy a welcome drink, see a dance performance by Notre Dame RC Secondary School students, hear Nossa Voz choir, and explore our festival exhibitions across St John's Waterloo’s beautiful spaces. Entrance is free.

FRI 10 JULY AT 6PM
Stillness Moving Mountain: Live Performance for Augmented Flute
An immersive outdoor sound meditation performed by Partial Wave Child, this is both a long-form live performance and a communal deep listening experience. Lie back on the lawn, close your eyes, and let the music take over. Entrance is free.

FRI 10 JULY AT 7:30PM
Living Streams Connect
A spellbinding evening of ambient, electronic and world music celebrating the sounds of rivers and migration, featuring award-winning musicians and talented migrants on keyboards, bass, percussion, flute and oud. Tickets £5.

FRI 10 JULY AT 8PM
Words Worth Noting
A night of stories, songs and poems, led by writers and poets from the Brixton Writers Circle. Tickets from £6.

SAT 11 JULY FROM 7PM
Festival Generations
A special evening of choral music by the London Philharmonic Choir. This is a rare opportunity to hear the choir up close, showcasing the richness and versatility of the choir's sound beyond its more familiar orchestral performances. Tickets £20.

SUN 12 JULY FROM 1PM-4PM 
Jazz in the Churchyard
Enjoy an afternoon of jazz, blues and grooves from some of London's finest up-and-coming musicians, presented by the Unity Music Arts Team and held in St John's award-winning garden. Entrance is free!

SUN 12 JULY FROM 11:30AM
WalkingTour: Echoes and Reminders - 75 Years on from the Festival of Britain
Join this fascinating walking tour to discover the hidden legacy of the 1951 Festival of Britain and uncover the stories that helped inspire this year's festival theme. Places are limited so make sure to reserve your tickets in advance. Tickets cost £15.

Sculpture Exhibition: The London Group
Discover a striking outdoor sculpture trail focused on this year’s festival theme by The London Group, one of Britain's oldest artist collectives and complemented by sculptures from Morley College students, artists and tutors. Free to visit, the outdoor exhibition will be in place until early September.