Fitzrovia Street Party and Community Dinner 2018

• Warren Pitch and Play Area and along Whitfield Street W1T 5JX
•  September 1, 2018   — September 1, 2018
• 03:00 pm — 06:00 pm

The 21^st Street Party was a fantastic success! Held on Saturday 1st September, this event was attended by over 400 guests and 60 young people volunteered!

The event was organised by a steering group of young people, who met weekly for three months to plan the event. They planned everything including the publicity, activities, food and stage schedule. It was a great day, with a circus/fairground theme selected by the steering group.

There was lots to entertain! There was a packed stage schedule, with a range of performances including dancers from BWA’s Mix It, Young Remz, Rebecca Promise, Angelli Atienza, Kiyan playing piano and Emma Ilunga. Loic – a young magician entertained people at their tables with card tricks and joined the stage for a big finish.

The steering group also designed fairground side stalls such as ball in a cup, hoopla and tin-can alley with prizes to be won including large PJ Masks prizes donated from Entertainment One. Young people ran all the stalls including our smoothie bike stall, giving guests a chance to cycle power their own fruit smoothies. And of course, there were inflatables such as a bouncy castle, gladiators and our new favourite – Wipeout!

Young people served dinner from Juicy Roots and popcorn and candy floss, Westminster Kingsway College provided jewellery making and crafts and we were joined by Jack in Box providing circus tricks workshops for the community such as tightrope, hula hoop, plate spinning and more.

Members of the public commented “got out and enjoyed the sunshine, seeing people having fun and enjoyed the food,” “new in town, grateful,” and “got a sense of community.” 89% of the attendees stated the event was Good or Brilliant, with 54% stating brilliant. There was a 22% increase in a sense of community belonging after the event.

The steering group have since received an employability session on CV Writing from local organisation Xcede.

We would like to thank our funders Big Lottery Fund, Camden Festival Grants, 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust and support received from Entertainment One!

To relive the brilliant day, have a look at the photo gallery below and check out our film (coming soon)

(Photos by Ernest Toquie)