Poplar Picnic- Festival of Britain

We are celebrating 75 years of the festival of Britain, right here in Poplar!

Poplar unions annual picnic in the park has something for everyone: Street food, a craft market, children’s fairground rides, children’s games, arts and craft activities, face painting, paddle-boarding, clowns on stilts, a recreation of the Rosie Lee Tea Tent, and a recreation of a 1951 Lansbury estate show home.

No need to book, just turn up!

What to look forward to

1951 Lansbury Estate Showhome

Get transported back to 1951 to a living room recreated to look just asit did during Festival of Britain live architecture exhibition.

Giant Chess & Other Games

Challenge each other to some friendly competition. A family-friendly space for for play, relaxation & getting together.

Spotlight’s Young Producers

A youth zone to celebrate British culture, through art music and activities, bringing people together to connect and commemorate change & diversity in Britain.

Rosie Lee Tea Tent

A place to tell stories over a cup of tea and explore history & enjoy East End hospitality.

Community Builds

Construct imaginative models inspired by the 1951 Festival of Britain structures.

This summer, Poplar is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Festival of Britain through a series of free, community-focused activities across E14.

The festival of Britain in 1951 was a nationwide celebration of British science, art & community. A vision of what the country could become post-war.

Poplar played a starring role in the original Festival of Britain. While the main attractions were based on London’s South Bank, around 86,000 visitors travelled to East London to see completed sections of the Lansbury estate, then under construction.  Whilst touring the site of the ‘Live Architecture Exhibition’ visitors marvelled at show flats with light-filled rooms, and indoor bathrooms.

Click here to find out more about Poplar’s 2026 Festival of Britain Celebrations (75 years on!)