Women in cherry jacket with Chihuahua watching Wimbledon © Oliver Lynton
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Roman Road Festival 2014 Closing Sunday [Photoessay]

On the Closing Sunday of Roman Road Festival we shut off the roads, rolled out the artificial grass and turned Roman Road into a village green. With a music stage, a big screen showing the Wimbledon tennis finals, over thirty market stalls, as well as food and drink, and a creative corner to fire up the imagination, we had all the ingredients for a bit of magic. (And don’t miss the photos of Roman Road Festival Opening Sunday and Roman Road Festival Evening Meets including Sarah Ainslie Pooch Portrait’s at Gina’s Closet).

Children watching Drumworks Roman Road Festival
Children watching Barbican Drumworks © Oliver Lynton

Roman Road Festival stalls

All the stalls on the Closing Sunday were brought to you by local people and businesses. There was a wide range of market merchandise on offer from baby and children’s wear  from Viv and Joe’s and Flossie Kids; to vintage furniture from Johns London; books about the East End at the Brick Lane Book Shop stall, and vintage fashion accessories and jewellery from Bromley-by-Bow duo the Hostess Hotties.

Viv & Joe stall
Viv & Joe’s stall selling handmade luxury baby gifts © Andrea Vladova
Runaway Design Collective stall
Runaway Design Collective stall © Andrea Vladova
Baby portraits by Runaway Design Collective
Baby portraits by Runaway Design Collective © Andrea Vladova
Children drawing on the pavement with chalk
Children drawing on the pavement with chalk © Andrea Vladova
Caroline Bousfield Gregory pottery Roman Road Festival
Caroline Bousfield Gregory pottery stall © Andrea Vladova
Johns London stall selling vintage and antique homeware
Johns London stall selling vintage and antique homeware © Andrea Vladova
Designer-maker stall
Designer-maker stall © Andrea Vladova
Women in cherry jacket with Chihuahua watching Wimbledon
Women in cherry jacket with Chihuahua watching Wimbledon © Oliver Lynton
Crowds watching the Wimbledon Men's Final
Crowds watching the Wimbledon Men’s Final
Roman Road as a park
Turning Roman Road into a park for the day © Andrea Vladova
Giant Bubbles Roman Road Festival
Children chasing Mr Bubbles’ giant bubbles © Oliver Lynton

Roman Road Festival food

As will everything else at the Roman Road Festival, we kept it local with all our food suppliers. Normally feeding the 5,000 at Roman Road Market every Saturday, it was great to have the ever-popular SuperChefCaribbean selling ‘chicken, rice and peas’ to hungry revellers on the Closing Sunday – the queue never seemed to go down. If you haven’t tried their dumplings yet you might find it tops your comfort food favourites. Nelly and Omer from Bow Belly served falafel platters as well as freshly baked scones with homemade jam; The Almond Kitchen brought her unbeatable gooey brownies, and Dhaba Lane served up – and sold out of – healthy Indian fare.

Super Chef Caribbean food stall Roman Road Festival
Queues for chicken, rice, peas and dumplings at the Super Chef Caribbean food stall © Oliver Lynton
Falafel platter at the Bow Belly food stall
Falafel platter at the Bow Belly food stall © Andrea Vladova
Nelly from Bow Belly selling homemade scones and jam
Nelly at the Bow Belly food stall selling homemade scones and jam © Andrea Vladova
Delicious brownies from The Almond Kitchen
Death by brownies from The Almond Kitchen © Andrea Vladova
Muxima's al fresco dining table
Muxima’s al fresco dining table © Andrea Vladova

Roman Road Festival music

The day started with a rousing parade from the local kids of Barbican Drum Works, following by some spirit-lifting songs from Chisenhale Primary School Choir, Victoria Park Singers, the local EEC Gospel Choir singing Happy. Later on we had Swing Patrol getting the crowd dancing, and music from The Hobos, Ma Poleine’s Great Decline, Sunshine Mae, Shona and Bro, as well as an unforgettable psychedelic dance performance from Bethnal Green’s The Action Men.

Crowds enjoying the music
Crowds enjoying the music © Andrea Vladova
Victoria Park Singers Roman Road Festival
Victoria Park Singers Roman Road Festival © Oliver Lynton
Learning to swing with Swing Patrol
Learning to swing with Swing Patrol © Oliver Lynton
Band playing at Roman Road Festival
Loungedelic playing on the Centra music stage © Andrea Vladova
Bidaayah fancy dress photo booth
Bidaayah fancy dress photo booth © Oliver Lynton
Child with painted face Roman Road Festival
Child with painted face © Oliver Lynton
Girl and boy with mask outside Roman Tackle
Girl and boy with mask outside Roman Tackle © Oliver Lynton

 


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Tabitha Stapely

Tabitha Stapely is the founder of Social Streets C.I.C, a not-for-profit media company using journalism to strengthen communities, particularly those in disadvantaged or neglected areas. Prior, Stapely was a writer and editor for national titles including The Telegraph Saturday Magazine, Elle and Red magazines.

4 thoughts on “Roman Road Festival 2014 Closing Sunday [Photoessay]

  • Lovely photos of a really magical day.

    Reply
  • Really amazing feat. Can’t wait for next year!! Well done to everyone involved

    Reply
  • So much fun had by all! Roll on next year!

    Reply
  • Incredible Achievement, very impressive, well done Tabitha and ALL the volunteers who made it happen, so much talent, dedication and selflessness to unite and connect our brilliant local community 🙂

    Reply

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