Camden Market will be celebrating its 50th anniversary with a series of music, food, dance and theatre events.
The market, which dates back to 1974, will host celebrations spanning art, music and culture in Stables, Lock and Hawley Wharf, to mark half a century of history.
Beginning on Pride Family Day, Sunday, June 30, Camden Market, in co-operation with The Toy Project charity, will host events including panto dame storytelling, face painting, and a cabaret parade.
The kick-off celebration for South Asian Heritage Month will come to the market on Saturday, July 20.
This event offers guests a line-up of community arts, dance, food, and live music.
Another highlight is Camden Market’s Bollywood Festival on August 17, a celebration of South Asian and Indian culture.
On display will be colourful performances, including live music, drumming performances, traditional dance routines and food tastings.
As well as the full calendar of free outdoor events, including theatre, dance, live music and workshops, Camden Market's vendors will also be selling limited-edition 50th anniversary specials throughout summer.
A global viral sensation for their blow-torched marshmallow topped hot chocolate, Chin Chin, will launch its new frozen variant – a retro choc ice with a gooey marshmallow centre covered in a thick layer of milk chocolate.
Alongside this, 2 Lads Kitchen, an Afghan food vendor in Hawley Wharf, will have a special dish promoting South Asian Heritage Month - Mantu and Ashak, authentic Afghan dumplings filled with spiced lamb or leek.
To mark the anniversary, a canal-side arch located in Hawley Wharf will also be decorated with a bold mural.
Camden Market began when a Saturday market opened in Camden Town with 16 stalls selling antiques, jewellery and arts and crafts.
Now, five decades later, this well-known market is home to more than 1,000 independent traders and unique stores, which draw in both tourists and Camden residents.
Its plans for the future include the building of an observation wheel and the East Vaults art gallery.
For more information about the 50th anniversary celebrations at Camden Market during summer, check out https://www.camdenmarket.com/journal/50th-summer-event-series.
Full list of Camden Market’s 50th anniversary events
- June 30 – Pride Family Day – 1.30pm to 5.00pm | Panto Dame storytelling, arts & crafts, Lego workshop, face painting, family parade
- June 30 – Sunday Songs with Rebelle Voices and The Pink Singers – 6pm - July 7 – Sunday Songs with Community Choirs
- July 13 – BOLO Spotlight Session | Performances from emerging musicians in association with Black Owned London
- July 14 – Sláinte in the sunshine with McGahan Lees Dance School | Community Cèilidh and Irish choir - 20th July 2024 – Camden Market Mela in celebration of South Asian Heritage Month | Arts, dance, live music and food with Kings Cross community groups
- July 21 – Sunday Songs with London City Voices
- July 27 – Grass Roots Summer Splash Fashion Show | Emerging fashion talents exhibit at Camden Market
- July 28 – Family Lego Workshop in association with The Toy Project
- July 28 – Sunday Songs with Rock Choir
- August 3 – Yunnan Torch Festival | A celebration of this annual Chinese festival with art, music and performance
- August 7 – Kids Family Summer Fun | Arts & crafts, face painting and kids entertainment
- August 7 – An Evening with Impact Dance | Dance performances from local dance collective
- August 10 – Camden People’s Theatre presents Dockray Variety Spectacular | Music and theatre performances
- August 14 – Kids Family Summer Fun | Creative workshop with local artist Blaise Thompson
- August 17 – Camden Market’s Bollywood Festival | A family celebration of Asian Culture marking the end of South Asian Heritage month including dance, music, food and arts
- - 21st August 2024 – Kids Family Summer Fun | Creative workshop with WUMZUM, a Nigerian-British illustrator
- - 23rd August 2024 – Bolo Spotlight Session | Performances from emerging musicians in association with Black Owned London
- - 28th August 2024 – Kids Family Summer Fun | Stitch & Stick crafting workshop - 28th August 2024 – Shakespeare in the Square with the London International Shakespeare Ensemble | Much Ado About Nothing
- - 29th August 2024 - Shakespeare in the Square with the London International Shakespeare Ensemble | Much Ado About Nothing
- - 30th August 2024 - Shakespeare in the Square with the London International Shakespeare Ensemble | Much Ado About Nothing
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here