Noel Park Festival is taking place in Russell Park this Sunday (21st), writes Kinga Plata

A Wood Green community group is organising a free family-friendly community festival for all residents to attend.

Noel Park Big Local is hosting the Noel Park Festival in Russell Park on Sunday (21st) from 11am-5pm and everyone is welcome to come and participate in the celebrations.

Amongst a number of attractions there will be a live stage including local bands, swing dancing and steel pans from Pan Nation. Eco-friendly participants will be able to visit an ‘eco village’ with wildlife charities, activities and plants to give away.

Families will be treated to storytelling, magic shows, cake decorating, sustainable arts and crafts and music-making from Play The Rig. There will also be food stalls, an ice-cream van, coffee from Russell’s Hub, local designer makers and a photography project, Noel Park Then and Now.

According to the organiser, last year’s festival, which marked the 140th birthday of the Noel Park Estate, was a big success and brought together around 400 residents who shared “food, stories and love for the place they call home”.

This year, the group hopes to attract even more residents and expects around 500 locals to come and enjoy the festival.

Rich Barnard from Noel Park Big Local said: “The festival is a way for people to meet. The area is densely populated but there are a lot of people who hardly go to the park as they used to see it as not very safe. But now it is becoming a vocal point. We want to show them all the work we are doing to improve this space so they can start associating it with something positive.”

When asked what he is looking forward to the most he said: “Good weather!”

The day after the festival, work begins on site to completely transform the junior playground in Russell Park, in a long-awaited project funded by Noel Park Big Local in partnership with Haringey Council.

For more information about the festival and for a schedule of events planned across the day:
Visit noelparkbiglocal.co.uk/projects/noel-park-festival

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