09 Jun The Croydon Food & Music Festival announces its grand return in August 2025

Join us in celebrating the end of the school holidays and the festival’s return in 2025 after a hiatus in 2024. This will be an unforgettable event celebrating the diverse cultural essence of Croydon expressed through its food, music, and community spirit.

It officially launched at Bagatti’s in South Croydon on Thursday 5 June. Key figures that attended included the Executive Mayor of Croydon Jason Perry, Peter Baggati, previous owner of Bagatti’s restaurant and Deputy Chair of the South Croydon Business Association (SCBA), as well as representatives of the Croydon Restaurant Quarter’s community.

Peter said: “We are beyond excited to bring back this treasured community event. Food and music are two universal things that bring people together and we aim to do just that. I am so excited to see Croydon’s Restaurant Quarter alive and bustling with friends and family enjoying their day in the sun. We also hope this event will serve as a showcase of the diverse cuisines and talent we have in Croydon, attracting more visitors to the borough in the months to come.”

Jason said: “The Food Festival has been a fantastic event year on year. The last one, held in 2023, welcomed 13,000 attendees, making it the largest festival in Croydon.

“After a year without the festival, we’re even more excited to get going on this one and I’m really pleased that we’ve been able to use the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to support the event, along with the Mayor’s Festival Fund, which will help support some costs around road closures and parking losses. It’s going to be an absolutely fantastic day that brings the community together while providing a great opportunity for stall holders and local traders, both from the area and beyond.”

In 2023, the festival was also part of This is Croydon – Croydon’s London Borough of Culture programme, a Mayor of London Initiative, presented by Croydon Council and supported by National Lottery and Arts Council England – helping the event showcase the borough’s rich cultural heritage to a wider audience. The festival attracted over 13,000 visitors from across the borough and beyond. Festival-goers had 45 stalls to choose from, including 35 food and drink traders, representing a wide range of cuisines from around the world.

As the festival returns to Croydon’s vibrant Restaurant Quarter, it aims to revive the lively atmosphere and share it with many more visitors. On the day, find the air filled with tantalising aromas from a variety of cuisines and an inspiring lineup of local bands and musicians creating a festive and welcoming atmosphere that has always encouraged friends and family to break into a dance or a spirited mingle. Don’t worry, there will be lots of activities to keep the little ones engaged as well.

Mark your calendars and prepare for a spectacular comeback.
The event organisers are now looking for prospective food vendors, event sponsors, and local performers for the main stage line-up. Please contact events@wlcreative.org.uk for more information.

Croydon Food and Music Festival 2025 is organised by the independent South Croydon Business Association and creatively delivered by White Label Creative. The 2025 festival has been partially funded by UK Shared Prosperity Funds and supported by the Executive Mayor of Croydon’s Festival Fund.