Camden celebrates Windrush Day 2026

The calendar of events begins with the popular Windrush Homecoming Celebration on Saturday 20 June, which sees crowds of friends and families take to Talacre Town Green for a jubilant day of Caribbeans rhythms, carnival costumes, arts, food, sport and more. This free event is a chance for residents to bring along friends and family and delight in the legacy of Camden’s thriving Caribbean heritage and culture.

That same morning, a very special mural will be unveiled outside Talacre Community Sports Centre. Artist Matt Small has created mixed-media artworks, presenting four stories or “Blossoms”, marking the distinct ways in which Camden’s Caribbean community has impacted the borough:

• The Blossom of Service highlights the work of Camden’s first Black mayor, Jerry Williams, who was instrumental in the development of Talacre Park from bombsite to public garden.
• The Blossom of Activism highlights activist Claudia Jones’ significant impact on the civil rights and welfare of British Caribbean and African communities across Britain.
• The Blossom of Cultural Identity celebrates the impact of Caribbean culture on the UK through the Funky Dred logo of Camden’s legendary music collective Soul II Soul.
• The One Love Blossom is a collaborative piece made with help from Haverstock High School, Rhyl Primary School and TAG play scheme.

The Annual Pitt Lecture at Bloomsbury studio is also returning on Monday 22 June, at Camden Town Hall – held in honour of Camden legend Lord David Pitt, who dedicated his life fighting against racism and discrimination and made history as the UK’s first Black parliamentary candidate, standing for Hampstead.

This year’s lecture marks 60 years of the Notting Hill Carnival, so will look back to its roots in Camden in 1959, when Claudia Jones and the West Indian Gazette organised Britain’s first Caribbean Carnival in response to racist attacks – recently memorialised with a Blue Plaque at Camden Town Hall.

The lecture proudly features Marcus Ryder MBE as keynote speaker, who will delve into the history of Carnival, its profound connection to Camden, and its widespread legacy felt today across the UK.

All proceeds from the lecture will be donated to the Claudia Jones Organisation, in support of their work with the Windrush Justice Clinic - a free service which helps individuals impacted by the Windrush scandal.

Further Information

Full Events Timeline

Windrush Homecoming Celebration

Saturday 20 June, 12pm–6pm, Talacre Town Green

Camden’s Homecoming Celebration returns this weekend for a vibrant day of Caribbean rhythms, carnival costumes, arts, crafts, sports and food.

Line up:

• DJ Matt White
• Wookie
• Nu Establishment
• Paulette Tajah
• Mahogany Carnival Arts Parade
• Camden Music Service Youth Steel Band

Camden Blossoms: Artwork Unveiling

Saturday 20 June

This series of four mixed-media artworks explores stories from Camden’s Caribbean communities, celebrating public service, activism, cultural identity and unity.

• The Blossom of Service honours Camden’s first Black Mayor, Jerry Williams, whose leadership helped transform Talacre Park from a bombsite into a public garden. It also celebrates ongoing public service within Camden’s Caribbean community.
• The Blossom of Activism recognises Claudia Jones and her pivotal role in advancing civil rights for Caribbean and African communities in Britain. Founder of The West Indian Gazette (1958), she also organised the UK’s first Caribbean Carnival at St Pancras Town Hall, inspiring today’s Notting Hill Carnival.
• The Blossom of Cultural Identity celebrates the global influence of Caribbean culture through the iconic Soul II Soul ‘Funky Dred’ logo, reflecting the impact of Caribbean music, fashion and art.
• The One Love Blossom is a collaborative piece created with students from Haverstock High School, Rhyl Primary School and TAG Play Scheme, celebrating Camden as a diverse and inclusive borough.

The Annual Pitt Lecture 2026: Marcus Ryder MBE: Carnival at 60 – Equity, Justice and Representation

Monday 22 June, 7pm–9pm; Claudia Jones Room, Camden Town Hall

Join an evening of reflection and celebration at the Annual Pitt Lecture, a flagship event in Camden Council’s cultural programme.

In January 1959, Claudia Jones and colleagues organised the UK’s first Caribbean Carnival at Camden Town Hall in response to racist attacks on Caribbean communities. This landmark event later inspired the Notting Hill Carnival, which now attracts around one million people annually.

Marking 60 years of Notting Hill Carnival, this year’s lecture explores its legacy, impact on cultural identity, and its role in ongoing conversations around equality, social justice and reparative justice.

Marcus Ryder MBE (RADA Chair) will deliver a 30 minute keynote covering:

• The historical origins of the Notting Hill Carnival, links to Camden and carnival as a site of cultural expression, protest, and celebration
• Carnival’s contribution to debates on equality, inclusion, and belonging in Camden and across the UK past present and future
• Reparations and reparative justice, Camden’s links wealth generating from the enslavement and trafficking of African people.
• How cultural events, media platforms, and institutions can better support diverse voices and more equitable representation
• What the legacy of the Carnival offers for future approaches to social change, cultural policy, and inclusive storytelling 

Windrush Podcasts

Camden Council has produced a series of podcast episodes for Windrush Day, titled Camden’s Windrush Tales. These feature interviews with Windrush descendants, community leaders, activists and experts, exploring the history, challenges and ongoing legacy of the Windrush generation.

Contributors include:

• Beryl Joseph – Camden resident and Windrush elder
• Walter Osbourne – Camden resident and Windrush elder
• Darla-Jane Gilroy – Daughter of Beryl Gilroy, Camden’s first Black headteacher
• Angela Beale – Daughter of Jerry Williams, Camden’s first Black Mayor

Listen to the Windrush Podcasts here.