Canary Wharf has announced the line-up for its arts event Festival14, taking place from Wednesday 26th to Sunday 30th July. Most of the acts are free to attend on a first come first served basis, with a small number of performances requiring a pre-paid ticket to enter.
Following the success of last year’s inaugural event, Festival14 will return with a bumper line-up of music, theatre, comedy, dance, and family activities to get involved with over five days.
Soul II Soul will be headlining Friday of the five-day festival supported by a host of acts including the soulful Wayne Snow, afro-jazz band Nubiyan Twist and rising star Cherise Roberts. Live singalong band Massaoke will be setting the precedent for a weekend full of summer fun, ending the opening night with the ultimate crowd-pleaser.
A line-up of iconic music headliners will take to the stage in Canada Square Park including funk and soul artist Craig Charles, jazz powerhouse Yazmin Lacey, and renowned DJ Norman Jay, set to make their debut at the festival. London’s legendary Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra will return to soundtrack the main stage for the second year running.
Comedy lovers looking for a laugh can find Netflix TV Presenter and Taskmaster contestant Desiree Burch and Mock the Week’s Mark Watson as part of the line-up at brand new venue ‘The Monty Tent’. The new stage will pop-up next to Minigolf by Craig & Karl on Montgomery Square, while Westferry Circus will transform into an intimate outdoor theatre showcasing high energy comedic performances of Shakespeare by 440 Theatre and a family rave from Big Fish Little Fish, to get the little ones jumping for joy after a day full of fun.
Crossrail Place Roof Garden will host curated performances by The Space, while families can take part in children’s art workshops from group A Line Art, before heading over to Jubilee Park to unwind with an afternoon of live music, taking in the atmosphere on cosy beanbags.
Creative collective SXWKS will also be returning to the Wharf on Saturday 29th July. The group works to amplify underrepresented black voices and not-to-be-missed performances include Zimbabwean born educator and author Belinda Zhawi, poet Lanaire Aderemi and the up-and-coming musical act Brother Portrait, who will enable audiences to learn more about Black communities and heritage.
The Fandangoe Kid will be returning this year with DISCOTECA, a colourful disco pod hosting a series of emotive talks and workshops curated by The Loss Project. The workshops will provide festivalgoers with a safe space to shake out their grief and anxiety, replacing it with joy, hope and the support needed to overcome anything from break-ups to the stresses of everyday life.
When it’s time to refuel, festivalgoers can tuck into delicious dishes from the daily street food market running on Montgomery Square, which will be offering up an array of cuisines from around the world. Guests can also book in to one of Canary Wharf’s many bars, restaurants and cafes including newly opened chophouse Blacklock, family friendly Zizzi or Pergola on the Wharf, some of which will be running special offers over the festival weekend.
While at the Wharf, visitors are invited to discover all the Estate has to offer as London’s cultural capital, with new activities open for summer including GoBoat, open water swimming, Minigolf by Craig & Karl and ping pong.
Most of the events at Festival14 are free to attend on a first come first served basis. Some events are ticketed so festivalgoers are encouraged to check out the full programme beforehand at https://canarywharf.com/whats-on/festival14/.
Download the Canary Wharf App for full event information. Additionally, residents, visitors and office workers can find discounts and offers on the latest Canary Wharf restaurants, bars and activities over the weekend all in one easily accessible place.
