Aldgate in Winter Festival wrapped up for its 7th year!
On Friday 8th December we saw Aldgate Square transformed and illuminated for the return of the seventh edition of this wonderful community festival.
This year saw a jam-packed festival of music, dance, light and celebration, including everyone’s favourites: the Lantern Parade, live performances on The Aldgate Stage, Community Feast, creative workshops and more.
Check out the photo album below to discover the festivities:
The Aldgate in Winter Festival remains one made for and by the community, and we at Aldgate Connect BID feel very privileged to have such an amazing and enthusiastic community around us!
There are many amazing people involved in the festival, so Aldgate Connect BID team would like to say a huge thank you to you all, including:
To our Aldgate Connect BID Members for supporting the festival once again – without which, none of this is possible.
The City of London Corporation, London Borough of Tower Hamlets Council and Transport for London for going the extra special mile to ensure we have an extra special event.
Howden Group Holdings for their generosity in supporting the Community Feast and keeping the local festival community fed with 425 hot meals!
A very special shout out to Alice and the team at Lacuna, the arts studio we worked with to produce the festival for the second year in a row. Alice has done an outstanding job at coordinating and implementing all the different festival parts together to let Aldgate shine!
Aldgate Tap for being our Community Feast hub, and Satay Street, Barcelona Tapas and 1947 Restaurant for delivering delicious meals.
Hotel Saint for their exceptional spread, keeping the team warm, fed, and caffeinated.
Saint Botolph without Aldgate for hosting our creative workshops and our Postcards from Aldgate post box.
The Aldgate Stage MC’s, Julie Tucker and Scott Baker for some unbelievable stamina, vibrancy, and pizzazz.
General Assembly Member, Unmesh Desai for his heart-warming speech and lighting up the Aldgate Christmas tree lights.
The enthusiastic volunteers and BID Ambassadors for being so generous with your time to ensure each lantern is strung, each family from the neighbouring schools can find the fun, and all are fed! With a shout out to Volunteer Coordinator Julie Asis for her guiding presence.
All of the Aldgate Stage artists and Drum Works for keeping us groovin’ and movin’ during a very chilly eve.
The Aldgate Connect BID Steering Groups and community curators for acing their choices on acts for the Aldgate Stage.
Panache Audio and Stage Engage for your technical support with an extra special thank you to Rhino AV and Pete Hall who worked some serious technical magic!
Each of the primary schools and its students for showcasing the artistic talent and spirit of Aldgate, with a special thank you to Mr Roe at The Aldgate School for once again knocking it out of the park with the gallery worthy lanterns: Austin the Taxi and the underground tube train.
The lantern making workshop artists Anna Van Der Poorten, Jenny McKenzie and Pragya Kumar for ensuring hundreds of lanterns were made in community groups and schools ready to dazzle on the lantern parade.
London Metropolitan University for their eager partnership, including lead artist Mrs Blues and photographers Claudia Piscitelli, Rocio Vazquez Gonzales, Albany Brigitte Suarez Coelho, Linda and BA Course Lead of Photography James Cant for planning and delivering generous and heartfelt Postcards from Aldgate workshops.
The Festival Stewards: Wambui Hardcastle, Ciara Adams, Fran Osimani, Josh Scrivener, Eden Tredwell and Andy Connick for ensuring each and every person at the festival is supported and cared for, and for walking over 20,000 steps!
Stage Manager Helen Dawson whose professionalism and contagious positivity ensured the Aldgate Stage never missed a beat.
First Aiders and TES Solutions Security for ensuring we’re having safe fun.
Photographer Mickey Lee, City of London’s Destination City Team, and One City London for capturing this special moment.
To Conway technician, Jamie who ensured we keep the lights on this chilly December.
And to every business, worker, resident, student and visitor who went out of their way to support this wonderful event!
With a team of nearly 200 people, it is with the greatest thanks to each and every one of you for demonstrating the power of the Aldgate community.
Tell us your thoughts about this year’s Aldgate in Winter Festival, and be in with a chance of winning a £50 City Gift Card to spend at local participating businesses!
As part of this year’s Aldgate in Winter Festival, we saw the launch of Postcards from Aldgate, a project that seeks to connect the local community through lovingly designed postcards and written messages, distributed to the residents of Aldgate.
Postcards from Aldgate will be exhibited through a projection from Toynbee Hall in Mallon Gardens from 8-14th January 2024 at 4:30-10pm.
