This comes after objections being raised over the events
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, meaning that all major events held in the park have to go through a full planning process.
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 – which is handy as tickets for all of those festivals have been on sale for weeks already. Organisers have said that Wide Awake festival is taking a break this year, and at the end of last year, Lambeth Council announced it was cancelling the Lambeth Country Fair, the free family festival that had been running in Brockwell Park since 1974, citing increased budget pressures.
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.
Commenting on the planning approval, a spokesperson for Brockwell Live said: “Our team would like to thank the residents and stakeholders who engaged with us throughout the planning process, sharing both feedback and support.
We’re pleased with the outcome, which recognises the cultural and social value of the Brockwell Live series, alongside the significant economic contribution it makes to Lambeth and Greater London, particularly at a time when night-time and creative economies across the country face increasing pressure.
Our commitment to delivering the events responsibly and with care for the park and its neighbours continues beyond this decision. We will remain in active dialogue with the community and will share further updates in the coming months on the new schemes underway to support and enhance the park’s biodiversity.
With events already selling out, we look forward to welcoming audiences back to Brockwell Park this May for what promises to be our strongest edition yet.”
