Your guide to Peckham Festival; what to expect this weekend

Peckham Festival 2022 is happening this weekend September 15-18th across the following locations: Copeland Park and Peckham Levels. Smaller festival hubs include Bold Tendencies; Skylight; Four Quarters; John The Unicorn, the Asylum Space, and Theatre Peckham. 

Photography credit: Yaneva-santana

We are so excited that Peckham Festival is back this weekend (15th-18th) jam-packed with music, art, workshops, makers stalls, performances, and lots of activities for you to get stuck into. 

For those who are new to Peckham Festival or those who want a bite-size breakdown of what to expect, we have created the perfect guide to help you navigate this 4-day festival in Peckham.

What is Peckham Festival?

Peckham Festival started in 2016 as a way to bring the community together and celebrate the creativity and culture of Peckham. It is a FREE festival and is 100% not-for-profit with the aim to promote artists, makers, and community groups. 

Where is the festival located? 

All festival events are held across Peckham. The two main sites are Copeland Park and Peckham Levels. 

There are also smaller hubs with things going on at Bold Tendencies; Skylight; Four Quarters; John The Unicorn, the Asylum Space, and Theatre Peckham. 

So, what is the festival made up of exactly? 

Music and performances

Across 3 days Friday 16th - Sunday 18th there will be the main stage at Copeland Park where you will find a variety of performances such as Rye Chapel reggae gospel band, Peckham Chamber Orchestra, local DJ sets, and band. See the full set list here. 

Photography credit: Yaneva-santana

Community hub

This festival is very much community focused therefore, there will be lots of opportunities to go to free talks and workshops hosted by local community groups. There will be lots of free workshops for you to check out like printmaking at 3rd Rail Print, plant repotting workshop, Climate Change art workshop, Mbinga classes with Taste of Southern Africa and, you can even go and have a game of conkers at Peckham Conker Club!

A sustainable pop-up market 

You will have the chance to shop from lots of local makers (South East 15 with our next merch drop!) at the sustainable makers pop-up curated by local event organisers, Pexmas. With sustainability being one of the underlying themes of this year's festival there is a celebratory programme full of sustainable events. 

Food 

If you get peckish you will find lots of street food from local establishments as well as from local start-ups including Fat Crust and the Vegan Rasta. Check out the tasty line up here. 

Free fitness and well-being classes

This year there will also be a health and well-being element offering free fitness and wellbeing classes including Hip Hop Yoga; Pilates; sleep and nutrition workshops; Sound healing and Gut - Mental Health. 

Photography credit: Yaneva-santana

‘Made in Peckham’

‘Made in Peckham’ is an open spaces event which means lots of local artists will open up their homes, workshops and studios over two weekends this Autumn - offering you the chance to get an intimate and unique insight into their work practices. Take a look here at where the Art trail will lead you.

Art Exhibition

Copeland Gallery will feature 'Life after Life', curated by local artist Katrina Adams. By challenging a consumer, habitual society, and culture in which goods and services create waste, the exhibition showcases works where artists are predominantly striving to find more sustainable ways to develop their practice and those of others including art pieces created during the pandemic when usual materials were hard to acquire and repurposing ‘lost’ & ‘found’ objects. 

Photography credit: Electric pedals 

Events to go to 

Alongside lots of things happening at the main location in Copeland Park, you will also find lots of other cool events happening at other places around Peckham including DJ workshops at Four Quarters,  live music and DJs at Jumbi Peckham, a drag brunch at Skylight, comedy gig on Bussey rooftop plus lots more, take a look here. 

Where to Dance

If you’re looking for a place to dance until late, head to John the Unicorn for a naughties themed throw back party (Sat 17th 8pm-1am), or head to Four Quarters for Rye Wax presents DJ lates (Sat 17th 9pm-midnight), there is also a late night party happening at Skylight Peckham (Fri 16th 6pm-1am). 

All that is left to say is, go and enjoy your cool community, Peckham!