Residents and visitors will gather in Southmere Park for the town’s flagship community event. Once again, the festival promises to deliver an unforgettable celebration of music, culture and community spirit.
The free, family-friendly Thamesmead Festival features an exciting blend of local performers and established headliners.
Lisa Drew, Peabody’s Senior Cultural Programme Manager in Thamesmead, said: “The local people who work so hard with us and producers Serious to plan the festival have handpicked some fantastic homegrown talent to entertain us on four stages. Gospel, drum and bass, soul, punk-pop, rap… you name it, we’ve got it!”
Natalie Williams’ Soul Family will headline the event. The 10-piece band are famed for their long-standing residency at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club. There is an exciting opportunity for local singers to join them on stage by applying for the Thamesmead's Got Soul workshops.
There will be a huge range of talent performing across four stages in Southmere Park.
Park Stage
Joining Natalie Williams' Soul Family on the Park Stage will be Cam Bloomfield, who combines cinematic soundscapes, jazz and electronic music. Genre-blending singer, rapper and spoken-word artist Jazzi Sirius, versatile drum and bass singer-songwriter Olivia Rose and motivational rapper Mobi1.
Award-winning pop vocalist Amity, CK Gospel Choir’s rich harmonies, Tricky Susan’s punk-pop and a DJ set from JVK complete the Park Stage lineup.
Unplugged Stage
The Unplugged Stage will be headlined by They Call Me Max’s eclectic piano compositions. Also on the bill are jazz-soul singer-songwriter Laville, acoustic R&B performer Duchess and indie-soul artist Alessana.
Flo-poet Becksy Becks, sleight-of-hand magician Vincent Gambini and spoken-word performer Tatiana Oriana add to a diverse line-up. R&B and soul singer-songwriter Cassie Graves and an acoustic set from indie-rock band Sirenity round off the performers.
Southmere Stage
Over at the Southmere Stage, there will be performances from Bollywood Vibes, UK Latin Community, street dance group Dynamix, Thamesmead Tornadoes line-dancing club, Rooh's classical Indian dancing and Utopia Cheer. And don’t miss festival favourite, the Thamesmead Dog Show.
Slug Stage
A new addition for Thamesmead Festival 2026 is the Slug Stage. A new group of young people will transform former Wanderlust Hill into an immersive and inclusive battle to save Thamesmead from giant space slugs.
A team of incredible musicians and DJs, including Frank Chickens, Noon Garden, TOBITHEFREAK and Tanum Sound System, has assembled to battle the aliens using the power of music. Festivalgoers must dance and mosh for the soul of South London.
Creative and sensory programme
Away from the stages, local artist Adam Moore will unveil an interactive doorway sculpture made from three-metre lengths of bamboo. Visitors will be able to listen to an accompanying soundscape and audio guide featuring recordings from around the town.
A packed creative programme also includes flag-making, painting, crafting, clay, calligraphy, urban dance and circus skills workshops. Meanwhile, artist Curtis Donovan will create an artwork inspired by the Thamesmead landscape during the festival.
For those who prefer a calmer festival experience, the Free To Be sensory zone offers dance and drumming sessions, fossil digging and arts and craft sessions for people with additional needs.
