This Year's Brockwell Park Festivals Have Been Approved

"After facing a major legal challenge over last summer's Brockwell Park festivals, like Mighty Hoopla, Cross The Tracks, Wide Awake and Field Day, it looked like organisers Summer Events Ltd (which runs the Brockwell Live series) were in for another fight this year. Campaign group Protect Brockwell Park took Lambeth Council to court over the fact that the events hadn't gone through proper planning permission and won the ruling."

"Brockwell Live's planning application for use of the park for 32 days between 9th May and 9th June for its 2026 festivals, including set-up, event days, de-rigs and wet weather buffer days, has now been approved by Lambeth Council. That means that Field Day, Cross the Tracks, City Splash and Mighty Hoopla will all be going ahead."

"Protect Brockwell Park has remained vocal in its opposition of the festivals, saying following the cancellation of the Lambeth Country Fair, 'we are now faced with a situation where Brockwell Park could be fenced off in spring exclusively for private events for longer than ever before, with substantial profits going to the private operators', and also arguing that the events will do harm to the parkland."

Brockwell Live secured planning approval from Lambeth Council for its 2026 festival series spanning 32 days from May 9 to June 9, encompassing setup, event days, de-rigs, and weather buffer days. The approval enables Field Day, Cross the Tracks, City Splash, and Mighty Hoopla to proceed as scheduled, with tickets already sold. Wide Awake festival is taking a break this year. This decision follows a legal victory by campaign group Protect Brockwell Park, which successfully challenged the previous events' lack of proper planning permission. The council previously cancelled the Lambeth Country Fair, a free family festival running since 1974, citing budget pressures. Protect Brockwell Park continues opposing the festivals, arguing they monopolize the park for private profit and harm the parkland.

Read at London On The Inside