Community Festival Returns - Leigh-on-Sea

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Hamlet Court Road Festival, now in this third year, was inaugurated with a popular and vibrant showcase of food, community and place back in 2021.

A COMMUNITY festival is making a return to the streets of Westcliff this May, in honour of one of its founding organisers.

Hamlet Court Road Festival, now in this third year, was inaugurated with a popular and vibrant showcase of food, community and place back in 2021.

A second festival was due to take place last September, but had to be cancelled due to the death of Her Majesty the Queen.

Then organisers were then left devastated by the sad death of Josephine Melville in November, who was a key member of the committee organising the music artists, producing the stage and introducing the acts on the day.

Kay Mitchell, chair of the Hamlet Court Road in Harmony Committee, said: “We were deeply saddened by the untimely death of Jo last year, who was central to the establishment and organization of the first Hamlet Court Road in Harmony Festival.

“Jo would have wanted us to continue with the Festival, helping to make it bigger and better than the first one, so we are doing just that.”

The festival will take place on Sunday May 21, from 11 am to 3 pm, with Hamlet Court Road will be closed to traffic.

Businesses along the busy road are lending a helping hand to make the day a great success, with Lorraine Faccini from The Rumbling Tum café assisting with production and Thobile, a close friend of Jo’s, hosting the stage, which will feature various musical acts.

35 stalls from businesses, organisations and charity groups, with activities for families, will also feature during the event.

Ms Mitchell added: “We look forward to announcing a diverse range of artists soon and are finalising the stalls that will line the road on the day.”

Matt King, Chair of Milton Community Partnership and treasurer for the Committee, added: “We are really excited to be running the Festival again in May. After so many challenges, it is great to see the event coming to fruition and we look forward to Hamlet Court Road being as full and vibrant as it was with the first event.

“Thank you to all of our partners and funders for supporting us this year.”

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