Home / Local news / Crowds flock to Roman Road for the Summer Festival

Crowds flock to Roman Road for the Summer Festival

3More than 3,000 people celebrated the road’s culture, heritage and creativity at last year’s Winter Festival, organised by the Roman Road Resident and Business Association and Tower Hamlets Council.
The rain held off and the sun came out for people to enjoy a whole array of events – including Britain’s Got Talent dance troupe, IMD Legion, who gave a lively, jaw-dropping performance on the Roman.
Joanna Kinsella (35) attended the event and said: “The festival was well organised. It had a nice mix of entertainment for adults and children. The faux grass and straw bales created a cosy environment to watch the tennis. The food and drink was tasty and high quality. I liked that Circle Housing made a financial contribution to the festival by providing food vouchers. This meant that people who aren’t able to afford to eat out could experience the festival fully as well. Overall it was a great day!”
Visitors also got the chance to watch the Wimbledon men’s tennis final, and sampled some delicious food and drink. Families were kept entertained with face painting and lots of workshops for children (and adults) to enjoy.
Tower Hamlets Tennis got everyone excited about the upcoming final with tennis classes for all, and the West Ham Foundation were there running football skills sessions.
This Sunday (July 19) will see even more sunny fun taking place on Roman Road. DJ Ritu, who is famous for her world music on BBC London, will have everyone moving to the rhythm. And leading dancer and choreographer, Showmi Das, will be performing with her dance group, Tridhara, as well as getting everyone involved in a Bengali folk dance workshop.
The Roman Road Summer Festival is organised by the Roman Road Resident & Business Association and Tower Hamlets Council. The events are free and Sunday will kick off at 11am.
Events taking place on Sunday, July 19 July include:
•    a party to celebrate Eid, including Bollywood dancing, and singing and dance workshops
•    Asian and world food stalls
•    local produce and crafts market.
Roman Road has been the setting for a number of successful festivals in recent years. This year’s summer festival builds on the success of the 2014 Summer Festival and Winter Festival, with its Christmas celebrations.
More than 3,000 people celebrated the road’s culture, heritage and creativity at last year’s Winter Festival, organised by the council and the Roman Road Resident and Business Association.
Mayor of Tower Hamlets, John Biggs said: “Roman Road has a well-deserved reputation for being one of the most lively and quirky parts of London’s East End. This festival is a great chance for local people to celebrate summer in this unique neighbourhood. I hope that people from all over Tower Hamlets will share the festivities by coming to Roman Road and taking part in the fun.”