London festivals including Mighty Hoopla under threat as public consultation ends

Tickets for the series of festivals due to take place in Brockwell Park this summer, including Mighty Hoopla and Field Day, are already on sale. Heck, some are sold out. But there’s still a question mark over whether these events will be allowed to take place.

For the first time, the festivals’ organisers, Brockwell Live, have had to submit a planning application for the events. And it is yet to be granted. Public consultation on the filing closed on December 31st, attracting 470 comments.

You can rifle through them if you like, over at the Lambeth council website, but the spread of those supportive of the festivals isn’t looking too hot for fans of live music.

343 of the comments are categorised as “objections,” with just 119 in support.

It is, of course, sensible to note there is a somewhat organised movement cobbled together against the Brockwell festival series, under the Protect Brockwell Park banner. Those in support may not truly mobilise until their chance to see Lily Allen in May comes under threat.

Many of the public comments on the planning submission centre around concerns you may be able to guess. The Brockwell Live events take up a good chunk of the park. There’s the whole “noise nuisance” issue, and some mention the churning up of the site could affect the ecological health of the park.

One comment we spotted even complains about how the festival fencing makes their work commute longer and uglier.

The planning permission application seeks to use a chunk of the park for up to 32 days, for this year’s event series. In previous years, festivals like Wide Awake have been allowed on the site under “permitted development rights.” But that method was deemed unlawful by a High Court judge in 2025, following a case raised by Rebekah Shaman, a core figure in the Protect Brockwell Park campaign.

And, well, now we’re here. At present, Brockwell Live has announced plans for five events in 2026.

There’s Field Day on May 23rd, Cross the Tracks on May 24th, City Splash on May 25th and then Mighty Hoopla the following weekend on May 30-31st. The details for kid-friendly Brockwell Bounce are yet to be confirmed.

There’s no confirmation of the alternative-tinged Wide Awake at this point — and the Lambeth Country Show has officially been canned due to “a big increase in costs to over £1 million,” according to councillor Donatus Anyanwu.

Brockwell Live’s planning application suggests it’s currently under review by a Planning Officer, while Time Out reports Protect Brockwell Park has, unsurprisingly, launched yet another objection to the festivals going ahead.

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