Windrush Day 2023: Five events in London to celebrate 75th anniversary

Windrush Day commemorates the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush in Britain, with more than 800 passengers from the Caribbean on board - the ‘Windrush generation’.

This year’s Windrush Day marks 75 years since the arrival of the Windrush, and there are many events honouring the occasion. Windrush Day occurs on June 22 every year and celebrates the cultural and societal contributions made by the migrants from the Caribbean community that made Britain their home.

It is estimated that around 500,000 people living in the UK are part of the Windrush Generation, who arrived between 1948 and 1971.

In 2018, the Windrush scandal came to light, which saw at least 83 British-Caribbeans wrongly deported from the UK by the Home Office.

It was the Windrush Scandal which intensified the campaign for Windrush Day to be recognised, and the first official Windrush Day was held in 2018.

Here are five events happening in London to commemorate Windrush Day 2023.

Windrush Day at Brixton Village

Coldharbour Ln, SW9 8PS Thursday June 22 2pm to 10pm

To celebrate the 75th anniversary of Windrush, Brixton Village is unveiling a new mural honouring the “courage, hard work and resilience” of the Windrush generation.

Designed by renowned local graffiti artist Bunny, the colourful display will showcase the inspiring stories of 21 trailblazing figures who were children of the Windrush community, such as Grace Jones, Gus John, Jah Shaka, Benjamin Zephaniah and many others.

Brixton Village will be throwing a commemorative party, with musical performances and Caribbean food stalls.

This lively party will transform the market into a true celebration of Caribbean culture and celebrate the traders who continue to bring the original spirit of Windrush to Brixton Village.

Windrush Day at National Maritime Museum

National Maritime Museum, Romney Rd, SE10 9NF Thursday June 22 and Saturday June 24 Free

Two separate events take place at Greenwich’s National Maritime Museum: on June 22, Windrush Day events include a multi-school choir singing songs connected to Windrush and the Caribbean, plus Calypso dance workshops

On June 24, the museum’s Spirit of Windrush Day sees more activities, including Caribbean-style domino matches, and talks from the likes of Lin Kam Art and Eve Wright Studios.

Radiate Windrush Festival

Burgess Park, Albany Rd, SE5 0AL Saturday June 24 and Sunday June 25

Celebrate culture and the 75th anniversary of Windrush in Radiate Festival’s 6th annual event in Burgess Park, south London.

The two day festival will host 50 acts across the weekend, showcasing soul, reggae, and other genres with their roots in Black culture. Terri Lyons, Mischa B and Richie Spice are among headliners this year.

There will also be a food village with traders serving up dishes from around the Caribbean and parts of Africa and a bazaar marketplace selling goods from local Black businesses.

Saturday is free entry and Sunday is ticketed, with prices from £10.

The Caribbean Front Room – Stories from Windrush and Beyond

Camden Black British History community hub, 18 Malden Road, NW5 3HN Till Friday July 28 Free

The Windrush era brought the concept of the Caribbean front room to the United Kingdom, becoming a powerful symbol of unity and community. It became a space where people from the Caribbean diaspora gathered, shared stories, and upheld their cultural traditions

The Caribbean Front Room installation in Camden invites visitors to step back in time and explore the front room and the crucial role it played in bringing the community together.

Windrush 75 at Bernie Grant Arts Centre

Town Hall Approach Rd, Tottenham Green, N15 4RX Till Saturday June 24

Bernie Grants Arts Centre, named for the Guyana-born politician and campaigner who made his mark on north London, celebrates with an almost-week-long Windrush festival.

This year’s festival includes a Windrush Block Party; an outdoor family friendly summer afternoon and evening of music and live performances and a special Black Lens film night screening of the film classic, The Harder They Come.

There will also be an unveiling of an art installation inspired by a speech by the Tottenham MP David Lammy in 2018, responding to the Windrush scandal.