Every year our summer events programme in Finsbury Park brings tens of thousands of people from across London and beyond to enjoy performances from some of the biggest names in music. The 2022 programme featured stars including Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, Sam Fender and George Ezra, while 2023 will see artists including Pulp, Playboi Carti and Travis Scott gracing the stage.
There are lots of myths out there about the events programme and how it affects the park, park users and local residents. We’ve put together this handy guide to help you get the facts.
Myth: "These events prevent the public from accessing the park"
Fact: Events only take place in a portion of the park, with the largest events taking up roughly 30% of the total area. Most of the park and its facilities remain open to the public.
Myth: "Events take place throughout the summer"
Fact: Major events take place for a few days in the summer, with the presence of event organisers in the park limited to a few weeks. This year Festival Republic will be onsite for 24 days in total, including 6 event days. Krankbrother who use a much smaller space, mainly located on the carriageway to the north of the park will be onsite for 22 days including 5 event days.
Myth: "Events like this are a recent invention that go against the park’s purpose to provide public recreation"
Fact: Music and other events have a long history in Finsbury Park going as far back as the 1960s. Providing these events for the public fits within the purpose of parks to provide recreation to the public – a view which was upheld by the Court of Appeal in a 2018 judgment.
Myth: "Regular park users don’t see any benefits from these events"
Fact: Events in Finsbury Park generate around £1.2m per year, which is reinvested to manage, maintain, and improve the park all year round. Event income pays for a dedicated park manager and team who work in the park all year round. Facilities such as the Richard Hope Play Area have been made possible thanks to the funds raised by hosting events, while we are currently making improvements including new permanent lighting and an improved skate park.
Myth: "Events are not attended by local residents"
Fact: Summer events bring big-name acts to Finsbury Park, attracting music fans from across the UK and beyond, and there are many local residents among them. In 2022 64% of tickets for Wireless Festival were purchased by London residents.
The events programme also enables community-focused initiatives such as Finsbury Park's Schools Music Festival and Finsbury Fest (new in 2023), which give musicians from Haringey, Islington, and Hackney the opportunity to perform in the park on the same stage used by festival acts, with tickets distributed freely to local residents.
Myth: "The events significantly damage trees and grass"
Fact: Strict guidance is given on not damaging trees and compacting the ground around them. Repair works are carried out to relieve any compaction that may take place.
While there is inevitably some damage to grass, this is limited to the area of the park where events take place, and any damaged grass will grow back within a few weeks.
Myth: "Noise caused by the events is out of control"
Fact: Noise is actively monitored throughout the events and tightly controlled by the license conditions. The sound levels are monitored in real time and independent measurements are taken by the council to ensure the license conditions are adhered to. Anyone with a noise issue can requests a noise officer to visit their home during the events.
Myth: "The events are a major source of pollution"
Fact: The council is working with event organisers to reduce pollution levels, including through replacing generators with bio-diesel generators which produce less emissions. To establish if there is an increase in pollution the council is installing five air monitoring stations in the park.
The vast majority of attendees to Finsbury Park events arrive via sustainable means, making events in the park much less carbon-intensive than countryside festivals.
Myth: "The events harm wildlife in the park"
Fact: There is no evidence to suggest that these events impact the wildlife in the park. However this year we will be carrying out detailed surveys which will inform us of any mitigations we need to make to protect wildlife.
Myth: "The council allows these events without consulting local people"
Fact: The council consulted on its outdoor event policy in 2013, and there is an active Event Stakeholder Group with representatives from all three boroughs. In addition Festival Republic work with the ward councillors and officers in Hackney and Islington to agree a plan to minimise the disruption to local people. This liaison continues throughout each day of the events.
Myth: "Events don’t provide opportunities for our young people"
Fact: Events in Finsbury Park are hugely important to our young people, who value the opportunity they give to see world-class acts right here in Haringey. Hosting these events in a well-connected city park makes them far more accessible and affordable, enabling people to attend who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity due to the expense of travelling hundreds of miles to festivals like Leeds and Glastonbury. This is especially true for our young people whose opportunities for recreation and socialising have been hit so badly by the pandemic.
