Arts Trust, producer of King’s Cross Summer Sounds, has announced that Summer in the Park, the free festivals in the beautiful parks and squares of Greenwich and Bexley, will return this year following a hugely impactful 2024 edition.
Last year saw Arts Trust take full creative control of Summer in the Park for the very first time following the closure of long-time collaborator Greenwich Dance; new event partners and a fresh vision inspired a season of free performances and cultural experiences that captured the hearts of local people, brought communities together, and boosted local economies.
Through events that draw national attention, Summer in the Park spotlights the local diverse cultures, offering free events in world-class locations and was shortlisted for the Greenwich Business Awards 2024 in the Tourism and Culture category, and won the 2025 London Sports award for Community Impact.
In 2024 alone, Arts Trust hosted 14 Summer in the Park festivals, showcased 76 professional shows and 189 talented community performers, engaged 12,643 participants in 111 creative workshops, and reached an amazing total audience of 17,361 people, with local businesses reporting a 60-80% economic increase during the events when compared to a standard trading weekend.
Keeping events free of charge helps eliminate financial barriers and has drawn a wide variety of attendees, including 45% from global majority ethnic groups. Overall, Summer in the Park saw a 133% increase in attendance in 2024 compared to the previous year, proving the festival’s growing reach under the experienced, proven guidance of Arts Trust.
Summer in the Park’s success also demonstrates the value of place-making, with previously underused areas turned into bustling community hubs. By drawing visitors from beyond their immediate vicinity, these events stimulate local economies and encourage exploration of shops, cafés, and other neighbourhood services.
Following an incredibly well-received Summer in the Park debut in 2024 with events that aim to provide positive activities and entertainment for young people, and a well-deserved win in the London Sports Award for Community Impact, the Silent Disco SkateJam & Street Food Festival is set to return on a larger scale across four Sundays as part of the 2025 programme.
Delivered by Arts Trust alongside Vibes on Vibes and with support from Peabody, Silent Disco SkateJam & Street Food Festival engaged 1,785 participants in six SkateJams and 159 in taster workshops between September 2023 and October 2024. The programme enhances fitness, reduces social isolation, and provides free equipment; sponsored by Sport England in 2025 to ensure accessibility. It nurtures leadership through mentoring and has contributed to a 25% drop in youth-related crime during programme weekends.
Brand-new for 2025 is St Osyth Summer Sounds: Music & Food Festival, a ticketed event taking place on Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 August at St Osyth Priory; a vibrant two-day celebration in the heart of Tendring that brings together world-class live music, mouth-watering food, and family fun.
St Osyth Summer Sounds: Music & Food Festival aims to help promote healthy lifestyles via a carefully curated cooking demonstration stage, develop the local economy by employing local people, provide business opportunities to local food traders, and support Arts Trust’s mission to reduce loneliness and isolation in marginalised and rural communities. Affordable ticket prices are necessary for this event to help to guarantee its future, contribute to its growth, and its positive impact on the local community and its economy.
Martin Collins, Founder & CEO at Arts Trust said: “We’re thrilled to continue bringing communities together at our long-standing Summer in the Park programme in Greenwich and Bexley and now to introduce our brand-new St Osyth Summer Sounds in Tendring, our hometown. We couldn’t be prouder to share world-class cultural experiences right here in our local communities and we look forward to deepening our connections with the people who call Tendring home.”
The full Summer in the Park programme is soon to be announced, but you can expect a series of outdoor dance classes, festival events and community park picnics, full of music, dance, theatrical performances and physical activity for people of all ages; held in Cygnet Square, Danson House, Maryon Park, Gallions Park, Greenwich Park and St Osyth Priory.
Running between May and August, Summer in the Park’s events are designed to celebrate community, arts, sport and local culture, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, The Royal Parks, Sports England, Peabody Trust, The Royal Borough of Greenwich and supported by Go! London, Garfield Weston Foundation and PRS.
