Enjoy live music, theatre shows and more
Monday June 9 - Thursday June 12
Four days of FREE activities for all ages
From live music to sport and fitness sessions, family theatre shows to after work food and drinks…
West Ham FC Foundation, Lord’s Community Cricket, Openmat Pilates, Strong Mums Club, Limehouse Boxing Academy, Wapping Kidds Hockey, West End Kids Live, Captain Fantastic Wellbeing Stage Sessions, Half Moon Theatre, Tamarind Theatre, Baby & Toddler Sensory Experiences, Senior Citizens Tea Dance, Plant City:Digger World… and more.
LIDO Festival, the newest addition to London’s summer calendar, is proud to announce its very first In the Neighbourhood programme of midweek fun, sport, performance, community events and food and drink.
Free to access, the site is open between the weekend music festival days. In collaboration with Tower Hamlets Council, the free four-day event also takes place between the huge weekends of music at August’s All Points East festival - and has proved a hit with visitors of all ages.
For LIDO’s edition, kids can take part in football sessions with West Ham FC Foundation, Cricket hosted by Lord’s, plus hockey skills with Wapping Kidds and non-contact boxing workshops- promoting physical health and mental wellbeing, hosted by Limehouse Boxing Academy.
Enjoy live theatre shows from Half Moon, the UK’s leading small-scale young people’s venue and touring company, another great local success story. Based in Whitechapel, they give young people from birth to 18 (25 for young people with disabilities) an opportunity to experience the best in young people’s theatre, both as a participant and as an audience member.
Tower Hamlets based Tamarind Theatre renowned for innovative performances, combining music, song, movement and some audience interaction focusing on Bangladeshi and other cultures, with a global inclusive outlook. Captain Fantastic Wellbeing Stage Sessions are leading children’s specialists in entertainment and bring their incredible work to LIDO. Their mindfulness stage shows have been created specifically for children, to help them develop skills in resiliency, tolerance, wellbeing and confidence, explored in an easy and fun way that kids can engage with and understand.
Get ready to be wowed by high-energy, dazzling performances from West End Kids that will have you humming and tapping along. The talented young performers will take to the stage, offering unforgettable renditions of your favourite musical theatre numbers. Adults can enjoy live music performances and DJ’s whilst enjoying amazing street food and drinks after work, with everything provided by incredible local groups and businesses. Or enjoy free fitness sessions. Join OpenMat Pilates under the Big Top for a dynamic, music-infused class that celebrates movement, community, and the joy of feeling good in your body. Bring your mat, your curiosity, and be ready for a 45-minute full-body Pilates experience.
Also hosting sessions in the Big Top are Strong Mums Club, created to empower new mums to feel strong, healthy and confident in their postnatal body and what they can do. They specialise in postnatal strength training by offering progressive strength training programs for new mums (and their babies). Hackney Baby Sensory sessions are bursting with bubbles, lights, music, and magical moments. Plus Adventure Babies are hosting sessions for toddlers - journey through themed sensory trays, cuddle up for an interactive story time and boogie under the fantastical parachute!
Tower Hamlets will bring their popular over 50s Tea Dance to the park, hosted by Global Village Tony Lane plus Sunshine Kings live band. Refreshments are free of charge, hosted by Age UK East London.
Headliners for the massive weekend concerts are Massive Attack (Friday June 6) Jamie xx (Saturday 7 June), OUTBREAK Fest (Friday 13 June), Charli xcx’s own party girl festival (Saturday 14 June) and London Grammar (Sunday 15 June) for the inaugural LIDO.
LIDO is putting artists first and handing them control, for a festival entirely programmed by the headliners. They will bring their favourite artists, collaborators, newly tipped artists and their own style to each day. From the acts to the artwork and stage design – every aspect is personal to them. Named after Victoria Park’s Lido Field, the 10-day event will offer hand-picked music line-ups with a strong focus on sustainability, as well as community events during the week.
Posted on Wednesday 21st May 2025