Camden’s new street festival Camden Inspire is looking to set a new standard for community-based street events, now with all the activities announced, all those that are looking to attend the free event will have two packed days of things to do as they wander around the pedestrianised streets of Camden Town. Kicking off this Friday from 11AM, Camden Inspire is promoting all things local with all entertainment originating from the borough. Some key highlights include Camden Open Air Gallery running a boozy improv art party, mend and repair clothes workshops, comedy across both days, a special pizza-filled screening of True Romance, and live painting throughout. Both days will have a full music schedule taking over the large stage with full sound rig. The event is free to attend with some events being paid for. Expect live street art, live music, Street Food Market, Camden Highline Exhibition, Creative Workshops and more running until 8pm.

Georgie Street, Head of Projects at Camden Town Unlimited says “We’re so excited to get Camden Inspire underway! The response from small businesses and creative performers has been amazing, with so many people eager to be involved in a celebratory event that hopefully marks the end of a difficult time. This is just the launch – we want to continue to grow the Camden Inspire brand, reaching more entrepreneurs and creatives, and giving them a platform to offer something special.”

Finn Brewster Doherty, Founder of Camden Open Air Gallery says “I Can’t wait to see it all come together, Camden Town has been out of the news for too long, it’s great to businesses coming together to showcase Camden Town. I’m humbled that I’ve been offered such a platform to Launch Camden Open Air Gallery from. The repurposing of the high street is such an important topic and I hope that this year’s Camden Inspire paves the way for future events in the borough.”

With the festival site taking over a huge 17,000 sqft, Camden Inspire will welcome 17 traders across food, drink, retails, and creative. Just Wing It will be bringing some the juicy fried chicken delights, Pub Love will be filling the street with the sound of sizzling beef patties from the fabled homemade burgers while Maylay Fellas will bring the zing with Malaysian street food. Other food traders include Lost Boys Pizza, Think Coffee, Peccati Di Gola, Quinoa Arepa, and Werewolf Beers.

On the retail and creative side, they’ll be social pottery experiences, Mexican groceries and handicrafts, hand-decorated clothing, homemade handbags, and upcycled clothing.

The entertainment won’t stop from start to finish of the festival with 11 artists taking to the stage over the course of the two days. All Camden-based, some of the highlights include both headline acts. Truce from Bone Soda will fill the main stage on Saturday. The Bone Soda is a crew with global soul. Known for a sonically well-traveled NTS show and a slew of riotous parties. Prime Cuts on the other hand will be taking over the stage on Friday. Other confirmed acts include BPM Collective, Spiritual Bar Takeover, Shuttercones, Almass, J.OC & Ben-Dee, Fitz, Will Brock, Lindsay Wesecker, and Izza.

Off the main strip, Speakers Corner will be hosting comedy over the two days with Erika Ehler and her razor-sharp, dark and visceral comedy and Mary O’Connell, comedian, writer and north London socialite. Camden Open Air Gallery will be running kids workshops alongside its boozy event while Lost Boys Pizza will running film screenings. Expect fun cocktails, squashy beanbags, fun photobooths and MASSIVE slices of pizza to chill and watch the classics with.

Camden Inspire is the brainchild of Camden Town Unlimited, a business improvement district democratically elected by local businesses to represent their interests in local and central government. At this time Camden Highline, Camden Collective and Camden Inspire are its flagship projects of energising the borough and bringing new ideas into the area.