Waltham Forest won London’s first Borough of Culture Award, and they definitely deserved it. The borough is one of the most diverse I’ve seen in London.
Forest Road was the centre and the origin of an astonishing and encompassing atmosphere. On the road was a man playing the double bass while riding a bike and another was playing a piano. The light works were the most amazing part though. Those fluorescent lights were seen dancing across the clouds all the way from the neighbouring towns, which I saw from Edmonton. There were surprises from robotic horses to brass bands playing iconic Michael Jackson songs. Poetry took over the town hall and thousands of local Walthamstow residents took to the stage either lending their vocal talents, watching their face being projected on the Town Hall, performing at One Hoe Street where BBC Radio London broadcasted live or getting residents boogying at the alfresco ballroom.
In Lloyd Park, Marshmallow Laser Feast’s 30 metre wide light show did more than leave amazed audiences into wide eyed silence, sparking a UFO twitter storm as people as far away as Woolwich, the Tate Modern and even Stansted speculated the mysterious lights were in fact the result of an alien invasion. A truly out of this world cultural experience. I myself saw the lights while I was coming back from the corner shop and just left it as being from Tottenham Hotspur stadium.
Kicking off the event on Friday, Mayor Sadiq Khan was on site to watch the show and meet some of the resident’s whose talents featured in the event. Speaking about his experience, Khan said: “It was fantastic to be in Waltham Forest on Friday to see the start of the very first London Borough of Culture. The impressive weekend show kicked off an ambitious and exciting year which will see light installations on the marshes, internationally renowned artists collaborating with local schools, and music projects bringing communities together. Culture has the power to transform lives, and through the London Borough of Culture programme we will be helping more Londoners, regardless of their background, to enjoy the full benefits of the arts.”
Cllr Clare Coghill, Leader of Waltham Forest Council said: “I could not be more proud of the residents of Waltham Forest. Over 70,000 people have visited to experience the mesmerizing outdoor installations on display at Welcome to the Forest. I have seen first-hand the transformative power of the arts; and in particular the opportunity they provide to inspire our young people to showcase and express their creativity. Culture is not an optional add-on, an afterthought, or something that is just nice to have. On the contrary, investment in culture is essential to ensure that everyone enjoys a great quality of life.”
