Thousands of people enjoyed an afternoon of dance, music and arts earlier this month, as Greenwich World Cultural Festival returned to the spectacular surroundings of Eltham Palace and Gardens for the ninth time on Sunday 16 July.
Families gathered from across south east London, and beyond, to enjoy this free family arts festival. Activities ranged from dance and music performances on the Southern Lawn, and dance workshops and social dances across the site, arts and crafts sessions for all ages in the Sunken Moat.
Many of the activities on offer celebrated the cultural diversity of the area. This year, the Festival included for the first time performances from local Mauritian dancers and musicians, who worked with local people to create a specially commissioned performance to celebrate 50 years of The Voice of Mauritius.
Amongst the visitors to the event were The Mayor of Royal Borough of Greenwich, Cllr Peter Brooks and Mrs Theresa Brooks, and Cllr Denise Scott-McDonald, Cabinet Member for Culture, Creative Industries and Community Well-Being.
Many visitors gave positive feedback such as:
Wow – loved every minute of this very special day. Thank you so much for this opportunity for us all to come together.
Just my favourite day of the year – my whole family comes and there is something special for everyone.
Amazing entertaining family day and at no cost! Great for the local community.
Produced by Greenwich Dance, this popular annual festival is part of the Royal Greenwich Festivals, supported by the Royal Borough of Greenwich.
Associate Director of Greenwich Dance, Paul Burns, said:
Greenwich World Cultural Festival has gone from strength to strength over the past nine years. Over the course of a glorious sunny Sunday, visitors were treated to a delightful selection of arts activities and performances, spread across the beautiful grounds of Eltham Palace and Gardens.
This event is a real highlight in our cultural calendar, complementing the range of work Greenwich Dance does across the Royal Borough of Greenwich throughout the year.
This event is part of Greenwich Dance’s extensive work throughout the Royal Borough of Greenwich. Based at The Borough Hall, on Royal Hill, Greenwich Dance produces events and projects all-year-round across the Borough, including in Eltham, Woolwich and Greenwich, providing a space for the whole community to watch and participate in dance.
