Barking Riverside’s community festival is returning for a third year this September
If you thought festival season came to an end following the August Bank Holiday, then think again, because the fun keeps on coming at Barking Riverside. The vibrant, growing and well-connected (it’s accessible by Overground, tube, bike, bus and Uber Boat by Thames Clippers) east London neighbourhood is playing host to Emerge East for another year, following two successful events in 2022 and 2023. That means more activities, more street food pop-ups, more craft workshops, more DJ sets, more riverside sauna sessions, and more independent makers to shop from.
A brand-new feature of the 2024 festival is the London premiere of Arborialis Luminarium, a major immersive art installation by Architects of Air. This massive walk-in artwork is presented by Creative Barking and Dagenham, in partnership with master developer Barking Riverside Limited and with support from Riverside School. Created by Alan Parkinson and featuring a soundtrack by Irish composer Dr Michael Morris, Arborialis Luminarium is an interactive walk-in sculpture featuring tree forms and leaf patterns.
The installation isn’t the only nature-themed offering at this year’s Emerge East; there’s also ceramic seed pot workshops, talks from London National Park City, and windmill building with Woodland Tribe. You can also indulge in sauna culture by the river, get a taste of the neighbourhood from home-cooks-turned-street-food-vendors for a day, check out food products and lifestyle goods from independent traders, and because it’s not a festival without any music, soak up the sounds of the UD DJ collective.
Emerge East is FREE to enter, you do not need a ticket to attend but you can sign up for more information. Some activities like the sauna sessions require a £12 ticket – you can reserve your place and find all the booking info below.
Key Information
Date | Sat 7th September 2024
Address | Barking Riverside Station, Barking IG11 0YW
For more information | emergeeast.uk