Summer is truly here. What better way to enjoy this glorious heat-wave than to sit in the park and listen to the best music from around the world. Yes the summer mania of festivals has begun, so if you can’t afford to part with £50 per day to go to a big festival, why not look out for free music festivals happening across London?
We check out a free festival called, Rise: London United, at Finsbury Park on Saturday 8th July 2006 to find out if there’s such a thing as a good free music festival. With an eclectic mix of hip-hop, indie, pop, jazz and reggae, we find that there’s something for everyone at this festival, which celebrates London’s diversity and aims to bring communities together through music.
The best act on the day, by far, is Sway. When he comes on to the main stage, the crowd goes wild. He’s dressed in a green tracksuit and a Union Jack bandana covering his face, and Sway raps to the masses in true hip-hop style.
He kicks off with ‘Up Your Speed,' adding new rhymes for the day to make everyone feel special. He bigs up all cultures and classes with his raps about Tescoe's and Netto’s shoppers, “If you’re really ghetto you go to Netto’s. To all my Netto’s crew make some noise!” The crowd erupts into cheers, whistles and applause. Sway’s a real crowd pleaser.
But unfortunately not everything about the festival is as good as the music. There are several amusement park rides but most of them are predictable, like the bumper cars. The only exciting ride is one that hurls you up 30ft up in the air.
But unfortunately it costs £5 per person, so it’s not very affordable for young people. All the rides are expensive for what you get. Why should you pay £2.50 to have a no thrill, spin in the air on an outdated amusement ride?
The worst part of any festival is probably the food. Although Rise has many different types of cuisine, from Caribbean, to Turkish and vegetarian food, all are too pricey for most young people. Instead, we have a limited choice like disgusting hot dog sausages and soggy chips. Even the smell of it makes you feel like throwing up.
But with so much entertainment to choose from, we have to say Rise is still a great free music festival. It has it all. As well as the main stage, there are also six other stages; Big Cuba Fiesta, Crescent stage, Urban music stage, African stage, Mela stage and DJ Bus, as well as a comedy tent for those wanting to sit back and laugh! Other activities include; children’s play area, fair ground, food and drink, exhibitions and arts and crafts.
So, if you get bored during summer holidays and you fancy something different, why not check out some of the free events going on in your area. Just because it’s free, doesn’t always mean it’s bad.
This story was produced by Antonio Akue 12, and Jason Mcleod 15. It was published on the Reach for the Sky website.
