Magnificent memories of Brockley Max 

The two months since we wrapped up our 25^th anniversary festival have flown by, yet we are still receiving photos and videos from some of the roughly 100 events that took place under the broad Brockley Max umbrella at the end of May and early June. Please do keep sending them in or sharing them with us via Instagram and Facebook. We have already begun making tentative plans for Brockley Max 2027. Meanwhile brilliant photographer Geoffrey Davies has been expertly editing this glorious video interview with our founder, Moira Tait:

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aeNzvMx9MTPODNhEAlKonCegeoKTBRWc/view?usp=sharing   

As Moira states so eloquently in the interview, Brockley Max was her vision, but it would never have become such a successful and beloved annual event without having been embraced by our magnificent local community. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to our sponsors and funders, advertisers and venue as well as course as to our performers, volunteers and of course our enthusiastic audience who turn up to event after event and make the whole thing worthwhile. 

This year’s anniversary festival proved a case in point. Opening Night was bigger and buzzier than ever, beginning with the rousing drumming of South London Samba and with hundreds of people dancing away to the likes of Koder, Paulie Boy Blues and of course Desrene Dekker and Aces Band until late evening. We then had our very own anniversary celebration in the Fox & Firkin garden with a special line-up of performers from festivals past and present – thank you Palindrones, Jez Kemp, Phoenix Outliers, Arch 57 and DJs Mr Tidy and Simon Strutt – followed by big names from the London jazz scene Hillarynx and Theon Cross.

Brockleywood Nights celebrated 20 years under the careful curation of Declan McGill with a packed-out event taking over The Honor Oak; Nunhead Folk Circle got a thunderous reception when they played at Brockley Brewery; while pubs across the area put on excellent entertainment including a rapturously received Bowie tribute night at The Ladywell Tavern. Dozens and dozens of families followed the nature-based craft trail from Ladywell through the cemetery up to Crofton Park, while our story trail and literature evenings once again had both excellent writers and keen audiences. We were honoured to have Sirrah Sisters back at The Lady Garden on Wickham Road with a brand-new production of Much Ado About Nothing that they have recently announced is coming back by popular demand at the start of September. Tickets at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-sirrah-sisters-present-much-ado-about-nothing-tickets-1987201071900?aff=oddtdtcreator.

And long-time Brockley Max supporter Martin Rowson once again showed us just how much raucous fun caricatures can be with his fantastic workshop. Look out for his next local show, alongside fellow writer and Brockley Max alumnus Luke Wright, at The Ivy House on 3 September: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/luke-wright-martin-rowson-the-ivy-house-tickets-1995660545413?aff=oddtdtcreator.

While Opening Night went with a zing and set the tone for our 25^th anniversary festival overall, we weren’t quite so lucky with the weather at Max In The Park, which marked our final day, with food and craft stalls alongside our magical craft marquee for kids and half a dozen special art installations around Hilly Fields Park.

However, it was more than gratifying to have so many people turn up despite the rotten forecast and subsequent storm, to have the support of our local bars Fox & Firkin and Ladywell Tavern and of course our Max In The Park sponsors Brockley’s Rock, who delighted everyone with the return of the much-admired fishing pond. and wonderful that so many people stuck it out and supported the bands who valiantly battled through. Just before the raffle draw – our first ever complete sell-out, and we are grateful to everyone who bought tickets – MP Vicky Foxcroft gave a speech celebrating Moira’s 25-year Brockley Max vision giving thanks from all of us. 

With Moira stepping back in order to enjoy her well-earned retirement in idyllic Somerset, and a few familiar faces such as our fabulous Opening Night MC Dre and Folk In The Garden host Colin Bodiam bowing out after many years of giving it their all – thank you both – Brockley Max 2027 is going to look quite different. 

Rosie Hattersley is stepping into the director’s role having been part of the Brockley Max organising team for 16 years and co-director for the past three, and will be expertly assisted by volunteer, mentor and events manager extraordinaire June Diegan. However, offers of organisational help are certainly welcome. Please do email rosie@brockleymax.co.uk if you are able to offer skills and time to help us deliver Brockley Max 2027. 

Between ever-increasing financial challenges, organising team changes, and following in the footsteps of the formidable Moira, we will be putting on more fundraisers, and keeping an eye out for funding pots to apply for – always a bit of a lottery – but we will also be looking for more collaborations, more input from our community itself about how Brockley Max evolves, and yes, more advertisers, sponsors and ways to help us keep putting on Brockley Max while keeping it affordable and ideally largely free to attend for as many people and for as many years as we can. 

Join our mailing list if you haven’t already, and look out for an announcement about the first of our fundraisers in the next few weeks.