A Packed Summer Event Programme for Wandsworth
Celebrating its year as London Borough of Culture
Events are being held for all the family. Picture: Wandsworth Council
May 30, 2025
There is a very full programme of events in Wandsworth this summer as its celebrates its year as London Borough of Culture.
The Wandsworth Arts Fringe features 180 events in 65 venues across 17 days (6 to 22 June) and the Wandsworth Heritage Festival, taking place from 13 June to 13 July, delves into the rich history of the borough with walks, talks, exhibition and performances. Also coming up this summer are Happy Streets (5 & 6 July), Country on the Common (5 & 6 July) and Battersea Park in Concert (23 to 25 August).
Many activities that are completely free and for ticketed events, Wandsworth’s Access for All scheme offers discounts for eligible residents.
Wandsworth Arts Fringe (WAF)–aims to provide something for everyone, including brand-new theatre, experimental dance and music, exhibitions, cabaret and work-in-progress gigs from the next big names in comedy.
For the 16th year running, it has an ambitious festival programme, popping up in surprising spaces all over the borough. The organisers say that WAF2025 is going to be bigger and better than ever.
Over 60 events in the programme are completely free, for the rest of the programme £3 tickets are available for Wandsworth Access for All card holders. To celebrate Pride Month, explore health and wellbeing, cultural celebrations and lots of laughter in the comedy line-up.
International non-profit arts organisation ArtCan will be popping up at Putney Exchange Shopping Centre this summer, taking over BobCat Gallery during Fringe Festival. New group exhibition ‘Ripple’ will include ArtCan artist members whose work shows the ripple effect of kindness, positivity and tolerance; of the power of small collaborations to make big differences to the world around us.
WAF offers a range of opportunities for young people; encouraging youth participation across its established Young Producers, Young Reporters and Young Reviewers programmes. The festival will also host annual WAF School’s Showcases, celebrating the talents of young people from schools across the borough.
This year, WAF will be teaming up with Wandsworth Heritage Festival during the final week (Friday 13 June – Sunday 22 June), celebrating the borough’s history through a programme of walks, talks, exhibitions and performances that bring stories of the past to present day audiences.
Highlights of the Heritage Festival include art installations, dance, and performance exploring place and memory; a walk through the Surrey Iron Railway route uncovering stories accompanied by soundscapes; a talk in the modern palace of variety, the Clapham Grand; literary walks through Wandsworth and Clapham Common; a talk (with musical accompaniment!) in the Chapel of Lambeth Cemetery about the once glittering music hall stars who now call Lambeth Cemetery home; poetry events; plaque unveilings; and walks uncovering the natural flora and fauna found here.
Explore Wandsworth Heritage Festival events
Kemi Akinola, Deputy Leader of Wandsworth Council, Cabinet Member for Business, Voluntary Services and Culture said, “This year, like every year, we are championing culture for all. The Wandsworth Arts Fringe brings playful commissions into libraries, playgrounds, streets and schools and we’ve supported 30 brilliant companies to bring creative projects to Wandsworth residents.
“Heritage and culture are indelibly linked – both have community at their core, and both enrich our understanding of ourselves. This year aims to show how heritage and culture intersect with one another, inspire one another, and form part of one another. It has come together, as it does every year, due to the willingness of local voluntary organisations and enthusiastic individuals to share their knowledge and throw open their doors.â€
Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, added, “Wandsworth will come alive this summer with a vibrant celebration of creativity and community. The Mayor’s London Borough of Culture will see an unforgettable summer of performance, art and music, boosting the local economy and great opportunities for young people. From comedy and theatre at Wandsworth Arts Fringe to picnic performances at Battersea Park in Concert, it’s a fantastic opportunity to get together, as we build a better London for everyone.â€
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