More than 15,000 visitors attended this year's North End Road Autumn Festival
The North End Road Autumn Festival (24 September) was back with a bang this year. More than 15,000 visitors browsed 120 stalls of food, drink and great things to buy, and enjoyed a mass of live music and street entertainment, including a fiercely fought Battle of the Bands competition.
“After the Covid lull, we were really happy we could bring back the Autumn Festival to celebrate North End Road’s market and showcase the improvements we’re making,” said Cllr Ben Coleman, Deputy Leader of Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
“It was great to see so many people enjoying the stalls, laughing with the street performers and dancing to live music.
“We’ll also be having a Christmas market in North End Road in December, as well as one in King Street, Hammersmith.”
The festival was supported by the Earls Court Development Company, who hosted one of the five live music stages, as well as a grassed area with deckchairs, a pedal bike-powered smoothie maker and a giant Jenga.
The Hammersmith Community Gardens also plunged in with a bulb planting session for children.
See all the pictures from the day!
Shopping and bopping
Alongside the usual great value fruit and veg, there were stalls selling everything from chutneys to vegan chocolates, amazing cakes and hot food from around the world.
Other stalls sold cushions and soft furnishings, bike accessories, crockery, flowers and plants, furniture, art, clothing, jewellery and much more.
Meanwhile, baby dinosaurs, giant fishermen, an exceedingly tall tea lady and glamorous “grannies” roamed the street!
Battle of the Bands
As well as live music up and down the road from the likes of ZHL Strings and Vibez Groovers, eight top local groups competed in the return of the Battle of the Bands competition.
Winning the first place prize of £500 and the award for ‘Best Mummycore Riotpop Band’ was I, Doris with their set of original songs. They even got the crowd to take the ‘I, Doris’ oath of allegiance!
In second place winning £250 was rock band Menaura, also awarded ‘Best Ambient Rock Band’ for their dreamy sound.
The first and second prizes were kindly donated by the ibis London Earls Court hotel and the ILEC Conference Centre.
Fellow rock band Don’t Wake the Neighbours won third place and the award for ‘Best Rock Rock Band’. They get to enjoy a fish ‘n’ chips meal for eight kindly donated by Kennedys of Fulham.
Blousey won the ‘Best Wall of Sound Art Rock Band’ award and the Clay Soldiers were named ‘Best Stoner Grunge Band’.
Meanwhile, Castlecombe Drive swooped in and claimed the title of ‘Best Anthemic Rock Band’, with Funk Remedies winning the ‘Best Funk and Fusion Band’ award and French singer-songwriter Edna Louise winning the ‘Best Neo-Soul Band’ award.
Cllr Ben Coleman compered the prize-giving, and the awards were handed out by Cllr Daryl Brown, Deputy Mayor of H&F, and the prize sponsors.
Boosting North End Road
We’re boosting North End Road with new footways, flowerbeds and trees, as well as new water and electricity sources for market traders.
This summer we unveiled new eye-catching artwork to help promote the market outside West Brompton tube station and along Lillie Road.
Please tell us what you thought of the Autumn Festival via our feedback survey.
You can keep up to date with the works to improve North End Road through our weekly updates.
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