Outdoor arts and theatre festival returns to Greenwich and East London for 18 days.

Charon by Peter Hudson will be at the Royal Docks
© Mitzi Peirone

Returning to the Thameside neighbourhoods this month is the hugely-popular Greenwich + Docklands International Festival (GDIF). Taking place at various locations, the free arts and theatre festival kicks off on 26 August 2022 and runs for 18 days, with this year’s theme being ‘Common Ground’. Artists from Spain, Germany, Flanders, Italy, France, The Netherlands, Ukraine, and the U.S. will join homegrown talent, with 12 UK premieres taking place. Launching the GDIF 2022 will be the UK premiere of Spark, by Dutch artist and innovator Daan Roosegaarde. The sky above the Queen’s House lawns in Greenwich will be lit up by thousands of biodegradable light sparks in a two-night performance inspired by fireflies.

One of the highlights of this year’s GDIF includes Peter Hudson’s 32ft high zoetrope Charon, created for the Burning Man Festival in 2011, which will be placed in situ at the Royal Docks. Meanwhile, Stephanie Lüning will transform Greenwich Peninsula into a river of rainbow foam with her Island of Foam installation. Families will love This Woven O by Oliver MacDonald, an arena made of willow hosting accessible theatre and storytelling, in Woolwich. Canning Town will become the chill zone with the mindful fairground ride Relaxerette, by Arjan Kreidhof.

There will also be performances from Graeae, Common Wealth, Speakers Corner and Fuel, Gobbledegook Theatre, Royal Ballet, Protein Dance, Fevered Sleep, Chris Green, Tara Theatre, Middle Child Theatre and Talawa Theatre Company during the festival.

The Greenwich Fair returns to the Old Royal Naval College and Cutty Sark Gardens on 27 August, while the two-day outdoor dance festival Dancing City will pop up at Canary Wharf on 10-11 September. Last year’s GDIF attracted over 75,000 visitors, with more expected for 2022 as London continues to recover from the pandemic.

• The Greenwich & Docklands International Festival runs from 26 August – 11 September 2022. At various locations across Greenwich and Docklands. Free to attend. For more information and booking, visit the GDIF website.

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