Feeling festive!

Events are taking place across London this summer to celebrate the 60^th anniversary of the Festival of Britain, and we are delighted to be hosting an exhibition on the Festival. See the exhibition, curated by the Museum of London, as part of the Story of London project,  in the foyer at Willesden Green Library Centre, until the end of August.

The Festival, described as a ‘tonic for the nation’, was a national exhibition held to promote the economic and social recovery of the country after the Second World War, and as well as the main festival site on the South Bank of the Thames, events were held across Britain, including in what is now Brent, to celebrate the Festival.

The London Borough of Brent is formed of the two former boroughs of Willesden and Wembley. Willesden held events throughout the summer, with concerts and children’s entertainments in its parks, and 500 schoolchildren took part in a display of folk dancing in July, as well as events designed to   support the war-damaged economy and promote feelings of progress and recovery, with local people involved in ‘tidying up of bomb-sites’, and a shopping week held in September to promote local business.

The Southbank Centre will be hosting events throughout the summer for the 60^thanniversary, and Brent Museum will be taking part in the celebrations too, hosting an Indoor Street Party at Willesden Green Library Centre on Wednesday 24 August, 1pm-4.30pm. Join us to re-enact Brent’s Festival of Britain’s celebrations – starting off with a family workshop that will explore 1950s lifestyle and inspire families to make something 50s to wear, followed by tea, cake and juggling. The event will end with Asian festival folk dancing performed by Brent’s ENCEE Academy celebrating Brent’s community 60 years on.

We will also be joining the fun at Southbank, on Sunday 28 August, where Brent residents will be reinterpreting the celebrations of 1951 with a display of folk dancing. Find out more about this and the other Weekend 51 events here.

Do you remember the local celebrations? Perhaps you visited a show, or enjoyed a rainy street party! We would like to hear your memories! Contact us at museum@brent.gov.uk or call 020 8937 3600, or come and speak to one of the Museum and Archives staff at the street party, with tea and cake!

Posted by Kate