Thirty-three degrees is a dream for any Londoner. Now, imagine that with the infamous thrill of a long weekend. Nothing but good vibes and the scream “Melissa! I’m drunk and outside.” With summer just around the corner, the late May bank holiday is often the harbinger of what’s to come. And on Monday, the 25th of May, 2026, City Splash Festival in Brixton set the tone for a summer filled with nothing but enjoyment, with the weather simply subscribing to the fact.

Held in Brockwell Park, one of London’s infamous hubs for Black culture, City Splash held its sixth celebration of Caribbean and African culture. A lineup featuring artists and DJs specialising in everything from reggae to garage, held space for every kind of creative and a party that had people more than happy to work up a sweat.

Calling themselves “The Home of Culture,” the festival showcases the world's most exciting talent of today, championing Jamaican music, Black soundsystem culture, and emerging talent across the UK, Caribbean, and African diasporas. This year, that looked like the likes of trending rapper JELEEL!, dancehall legend Jada Kingdom, Soca up-and-comer V’ghn, homegrown talent BXKS, Afrobeats artist Juls, and over 70 others. 

Upon entrance to the park, the smell of salty sweat, spiced food, and earthy weed is fresh. With a long day ahead under the sun, crowds as far as the eye can see are sitting under shaded tables, fanning themselves beneath tented sets, and shimmying their way around the grounds.

The first stage, known as Formula Baad, held a selection of acts from around the world. Two of note were Parisian DJ Daddy Chulo, who stacked up the Francophone energy and, later on in the day, JELEEL!. With his catchy tunes grounded in Afrobeat sound, his emigration from the US to the UK has given him a crowd that can never seem to get enough of him.

What felt like a long walk under the beating sun rewarded guests with an array of food stands, water stations, market stalls, and bar sites as they wandered through the park. Dubbed the “purveyors and advocates for Black music, food, dance and style,” the festival’s partnership with Black Eats LDN kept the vibes going from the stages to the picnic tables. Home to over 60 food traders, festival goers had their choice from authentic Caribbean dishes, like jerk chicken and curry goat, to the basics, like pizza and fried chicken. Even going as far as Asian cuisine with Bao Mi stands, Japanese-style rice bowls, and Korean fried chicken.

And the day wasn’t complete with just music and food. At the far right side of the park, the Rastafari Reasoning Corner held conversations about empowerment, social progress, and industry growth with artists and creatives - grounding the day in cultural resonance. Women dressed in their finest carnival costumes made their way around as shops selling Caribbean essentials and merchandise enticed even the most frugal eye.

A group of smaller stages and activations were scattered around the green lawns as well, including CeraVe’s sunscreen station, RedBull’s energy zone, and Casamigos’ beach-house pop-up serving drinks, dancing, and DJs throughout the day. Soca music streamed from the Rampage Sound stage as Grenadian singer V’ghn led the crowd in a summer crash course filled with Jab Decisions. 

At the far end of the park, the Reload stage got everyone prepped and primed for the biggest names. Where drinks were flowing and ice cream cones being licked, performers Loyal Squad played the classics we grew up on as the crowds drew closer to the Yaad for premier acts. As Gyptian serenaded the beautiful ladies, Elephant Man and Aidonia held the crowd with back-to-back high-energy sets, before the sun set to the sound of smooth mixes by Seani B.

The last of the festivities came to a close as people scrambled to food stalls and drink stations before the main event. The festival’s biggest performer and, perhaps, most anticipated was Reggaeton legend Beres Hammond, who was set to close out the night with an exclusive UK performance.

Known for his 30-year-long career filled with lover’s rock jams, the crowd filled with young and old alike swayed and sang to old classics like Tempted to Touch and an expanse of his melodic discography. “Family,” Hammond yelled to the crowd. “What a combination. It’s England and Beres… in the same room!”

The final notes of his iconic song Rock Away fell upon the crowd as the stars rose and the cool of the night washed over London.

The sky painted a picturesque scene for the walk back to the train stations, as another successful fete for the diaspora and its culture came to an end. With 30,000 people to tell the tale, City Splash’s finger is on the pulse of the diaspora, bringing the culture together and calling the shots. Bank holiday and City Splash - what a combination, indeed.

IG: @clungaho