The popular, free Urban Elephant Festival will return for its fifth year on Saturday 21 March from 12pm – 6pm, once again transforming Elephant & Castle into a vibrant celebration of diversity, creativity and community. Festival pitches will be spread across Walworth Town Hall Square, Sayer Street and Castle Square.
Since its launch, the Urban Elephant Festival has grown into a flagship community event, attracting thousands of local residents, Londoners and tourists alike. This year’s programme will include clowns, jugglers and street entertainers; fun fitness sessions; and performances from artists all around the world, ensuring there’s something for all the family to enjoy.
A highlight of this year’s festival will be the official unveiling of The Elephant’s new square from 1pm. The ceremony marks an exciting milestone in the area’s ongoing transformation and will be attended by Sunny Lambe, Mayor of Southwark, alongside Councillor Sarah King, Leader of Southwark Council.
John Whelan, Urban Elephant Artistic Director, said:
“I’m really excited that this year we will have four pitches for the Urban Elephant Festival, which continues to grow and develop year on year. Watching the festival reach its fifth year is a proud moment and we’re marking this milestone with our most ambitious programme yet. It really has become a cornerstone of our area’s cultural calendar, highlighting just how rich and diverse our local community is. I can’t wait to feature even more of the amazing local artists and businesses that make this such a special part of London.”
Funded by key stakeholders: Get Living and Southwark Council, the Urban Elephant Festival is a cornerstone of the borough’s programming. Operating under the umbrella of the Elephant and Castle Business Forum, which was established in 2021, this event acts as a vehicle for local businesses to co-ordinate, work together, take advantage of opportunities and apply for funding to deliver projects. The Forum also hosts regular meetings to keep up-to-date with activity in the area. Further stakeholders include: Berkeley Homes, Notting Hill Genesis (NHG), and HUB.
Look out for more details about the full programme by visiting https://urbanelephant.co.uk or following @urbanelefest on social media.
