Windrush Day: A guide to celebrations taking place across the UK
From Brixton to Birmingham, communities across Britain are hosting exhibitions, performances, screenings and family events celebrating Caribbean heritage and contributions
Windrush Day is marked annually on 22 June, commemorating the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush in 1948 and the lasting contributions of Caribbean communities to British life.
This year, as the UK marks the 78th anniversary, a wide range of events are taking place across the country, from exhibitions, film screenings and theatre performances to family festivals, community lunches and cultural celebrations.
Here’s a selection of events taking place in London and across the UK over the coming days.
London
Windrush Walking Tour - Ongoing - Dalston Junction station, E8
Discover the history of the Windrush Generation and the wider importance of migration that enriches London
Exhibition: The Futurists - 1-28 June 2026 - Brixton House, SW9
Curated by Danny Bailey in collaboration with Brixton House Good Neighbours, The Futurists exhibition seeks to honour the lived experiences, memories and cultural contributions of Caribbean communities
Pantomime - 16/06/2026 - Brixton House, SW9
A rehearsed reading directed by Emily Aboud, honouring the enduring cultural contributions of the Caribbean community in Britain
Jah Makin’ It Happen - 17/06/2026, 7pm-9.45pm, Hackney Empire, E8
A hilarious musical-comedy that tells the story of a Jamaican family’s journey from Jamaica to the UK during the Windrush era
They Call Me Guess with Beulah Smith-Coombs - 18/06/2026, 6.30pm-8pm, Brixton Library, SW2
Join Beulah ‘Guess’ Smith-Coombs and Prof Suzanne Scafe to discuss a biography that is an important piece of social and cultural history
Bringing the Vibez - 20/06/2026 - Brixton House, SW9
Commemorate Windrush weekend with a vibrant family celebration of Caribbean culture, music and community for all ages
A Taste of Windrush - 20/06/2026, 12pm-2.30pm, Hackney Archives, E8
Come and share the flavours and traditions of the Windrush Generation at this intergenerational light lunch
Windrush Day Weekend Raffia Embroidery Workshop - 20-21 June 2026 - Westminster Bridge Road, SE1
A relaxing raffia embroidery workshop where you will learn the basics of raffia embroidery and create a piece of tropical raffia embroidery wall art
Saturday Soup - 20/06/2026 - Brixton House, SW9
Stories. Soup. Shoobz. The event is all about the stories carried across generations, the building of community and the serving of soup. All are welcome for a Shoobz - party - with a famous sound system bringing positive vibrations
Blockorama - 20/06/2026, 12pm-8pm, Lordship Recreational Ground, N17
North London Blockorama is an annual steel pan music festival celebrating Caribbean culture and community. Hosted by the Pan Nation Steel Orchestra, the free family-friendly all-dayer features live steelband music, DJs, children’s activities, and Caribbean food stalls
Windrush Day: Beyond the Ship - 20/06/2026, 11am-4pm, National Maritime Museum, SE10
A series of displays, exhibitions and screenings including the award-winning film Barrel Children: The Families Windrush Left Behind at 2pm
Windrush Day Warmup - 21/06/2026, 3pm-6.30pm, QueerCircle, SE10
Join The Queer Domino Project at QUEERCIRCLE for an afternoon of dominoes, games, shared food and conversation
Radiate Windrush Festival - 21/06/2026, 12pm-8pm, Mudchute Park, E14
London’s Windrush festival is back, celebrating Caribbean heritage with a big family festival vibe
Ridley Road Market Windrush Day Celebration - 21/06/2026, 11am-3pm, Ridley Road Market, E8
Join locals at Ridley Road Market for a free Windrush Day celebration of art, culture and creativity. Get involved in hands-on activities inspired by the rich connections between African heritage, Caribbean culture and British traditions
Sonia Winifred’s My Mother in-Law’s Dresses - 22/06/2026, 2pm-5pm, Brixton Library, SW2
A reminiscence workshop dedicated to the memory of Girleyvine - a Windrush Pioneer - showcasing some of her beautiful dresses and photographs, documenting her arrival from Jamaica to West Norwood in 1958
Windrush on Screen – Memory, Movement and Home - 22/06/2026, 12pm-3pm, Chestnuts Community Centre, N15
Honouring the Windrush Generation through rare 4U2 Newsmag documentaries exploring home, belonging, resilience and cultural memory
Windrush Tek Over at the Hackney Empire - 24/06/2026, 4pm-8pm, Hackney Empire, E8
An immersive event underpinned by cultural celebration, live performance and storytelling. Presented by Actively SeeK.I.N.G. and Makeda Creative House in collaboration with Hackney Empire
Sweet Tea, Strong Stories - 25/06/2026, 6pm-8pm, St Paul’s Tottenham, N17
A free Caribbean tea party and community storytelling gathering, celebrating Windrush Day through stories, memories, tea and conversation. The evening invites elders, families and local residents to come together and share personal stories connected to migration, home, identity, belonging and community life
Windrush Migrations Opera in Concert - 26/06/2026, 7pm, Lambeth Assembly Hall, SW2
A powerful evening of opera celebrating journey, resilience and belonging. Featuring Migrations by Will Todd and Windrush Opera by Des Oliver and Edson Burton, this concert brings to life the stories, memories and voices of migration through moving music and bold storytelling
Big Caribbean Lunch - 28/06/2026, 12pm-7pm, Windrush Square, Brixton
Celebrating the spirit of the Windrush Generation with storytelling, guest speakers, live music, a Caribbean market and free lunch for elders (aged 75+)
Pantonic Windrush Community Picnic - 28/06/2026, 1pm-6pm, Clapton Common
A vibrant day of culture, creativity, carnival arts, music, dance, costumes and community connection
Dementia: The Island Journey - A Caribbean Dementia-Friendly Screening - 11/07/2026, 3pm-5pm, Homerton Library, E8
This documentary, directed by Rianna Patterson, founder of the Dominica Dementia Foundation, features voices from Barbados, Dominica, and Anguilla, showcasing our vibrant Caribbean culture. It’s a heartfelt story that brings warmth and understanding of dementia
Manchester
CAHN’s Windrush Day Celebrations - 20/06/2026, 12pm-6pm, Alexandra Park, M16
Head to Alexandra Park for live music, cultural performances, Caribbean food, family activities, community awards and health checks
Newcastle
War to Windrush: The Caribbean role in victory and rebuilding Britain - 11/07/2026, 12pm-1.30pm, Berwick Hall, NE1
Join author and historian Colin Douglas for an illustrated talk as part of an interactive community event celebrating the Windrush Generation with recorded poetry, song and Pat’s Trini snacks. This event has been organised by the North East of England African and Caribbean Association & Newcastle Libraries
Essex
Roots Chelmsford Windrush Exhibition - 1 June - 1 September 2026 - Museum of Chelmsford, Essex, CM2
On display, there will be stories from the Caribbean community who share their family history, experiences, and the enormous impact Windrush had on the Chelmsford community
Midlands
Barrel Children: The Families Windrush Left Behind - 18/06/2026, 6pm-9pm, The LTB Showrooms, CV1
A moving screening of Barrel Children: The Families Windrush Left Behind, followed by a special Q&A with filmmaker and journalist Nadine White. Kicking off the inaugural Coventry Windrush Festival (18-22 June), this intimate evening explores the untold emotional realities of separation, migration and identity experienced by the children and families of the Windrush Generation
Hadhari Project Fundraiser - 19/06/2026, The Hadhari Project, DE23
A Windrush Weekend fundraiser for the Hadhari Project, a charity that provides older people, mainly from the African and Caribbean community, with the chance to get together and join in welfare, educational, social and recreational activities. You can also watch a special screening of Barrel Children: The Families Windrush Left Behind here
Windrush Stories Day at the Black Country Living Museum - 20/06/2026 - Dudley, DY1
Take part in gospel singing in the Methodist Chapel, enjoy delicious food and try your hand at Jamaican dominoes in the Elephant and Castle pub. There’ll also be a lively steel pan workshop
Windrush Domino Tournament - 20/06/2026 - Legacy Centre of Excellence, Birmingham, B6
Get ready to test your skills and have a blast at the ultimate gaming showdown!
“Survival” Celebrating Father’s Day & The Windrush Generation Legacy - 20/06/2026 - Club Ocho Rios, DY4
Voluntary Outreach Working Service (VOWS), with the support of the community, invites elders to come out with their family and friends to celebrate. It is a family affair which includes entertainment by artists and DJs, plus special guest speakers
Letters, Promises and Belonging: The Children Of Windrush - 22/06/2026, 1.30pm & 7.00pm, Mac Birmingham, B12
A powerful and intimate stage production blending dance and spoken word to bring untold stories to life. Through the voices of a generation shaped by migration, it explores the letters sent across oceans - messages of hope, longing, and separation
This list will be updated as further events are confirmed.
Got a news tip or story idea? Submit it via this form. Reader feedback and corrections are welcomed separately here.
