This year’s Croydon Food and Music Festival was delivered by the White Label team, on Sunday 2 July 2023. The festival was a joy-filled day of feasting, music and spontaneous dance, celebrating the diversity of Croydon’s culinary and cultural scene.

Croydon’s Restaurant Quarter was transformed into an alfresco dining experience, attracting over 11,000 visitors. 45 stalls took part, including 35 food and drink traders, representing a wide range of cuisines from around the world. The festival also featured a live music stage with performances by local bands and musicians and boasted a diverse range of entertainment including face painting, stilt walkers, and street performers.

Delivered on behalf of the South Croydon Association, this annual tradition celebrates and showcases Croydon’s diverse and thriving independent restaurants. The festival has not only added to the town’s cultural offerings but has also become a significant economic driver for the town, contributing to its economic growth and tourism.

The White Label team brought the festival to life by managing trade enquiries and bookings for traders and entertainers and negotiating sponsorship which, this year, included Brunswick Property Partners and London Square Developments, with further support from COSTCO and The HR Department. 

In addition to digital and social communications and out-of-home marketing of the event, the team were also responsible for engaging external suppliers, hiring security and medical teams, arranging road closures and traffic management, as well as on-site event management. 

This year’s event is part of This is Croydon – Croydon’s London Borough of Culture programme – a Mayor of London Initiative, allowing the festival to have a larger platform, showcasing the borough’s rich cultural heritage to a wider audience. The Festival is presented by Croydon Council and supported by National Lottery and Arts Council England.

Natasha Miller, Head of Events at White Label said: “The Croydon Food and Music Festival 2023 was an incredible celebration of community spirit. Festival goers were spoilt for choice with so many great food and drink stalls reflecting the diversity of the borough. 

But, more than that, the event brought together people from all backgrounds, fostering a sense of unity and togetherness. A brilliant example of this was how a brave young violinist, who had never played at a festival before, got on stage and played freestyle, drawing the crowd in with her captivating enthusiasm and passion. It was also great to witness people breaking out into spontaneous communal dance formations.

We are also proud to have reconnected with some traders from last year, who were enthusiastic about working with us again.” 

Onur Hoca of Ice Cream World, a returning trader said: ‘I have been part of the Food Festival for a few years now and I am thrilled to see it grow. This year I saw many familiar faces and met many new ones. I believe festivals like this are important for us, local traders, to build awareness for our businesses but even more so to meet the community we passionately serve. I am looking forward to providing tasty ice cream for more people next summer!’

If you’re looking to arrange an outdoor event, do get in touch by contacting nmiller@wlcreative.org.uk or reaching out on our website.