Save Leyton Más 2026

Aim

Help power Leyton Más - Waltham Forest’s largest free community carnival celebrating culture, creativity, music, learning and climate action

Leyton Más brings together carnival, music, steel pan, choirs, sound systems, schools, artists, volunteers and communities from across Waltham Forest and beyond in a vibrant celebration of culture, creativity, identity and belonging.

As public arts funding becomes increasingly challenging, we are building a community-powered future for Leyton Más 2026 through donations, sponsorship and local partnerships.

We are inviting audiences, businesses, supporters and friends of the festival to help keep Leyton Más free, accessible and growing for future generations.

Leyton Más supports:

• Free public cultural events
• Community carnival arts
• Youth & community learning and participation
• Steel pan and African-Caribbean cultural heritage
• Volunteer training and work experience
• Independent artists and local creative businesses
• Diverse intergenerational audiences
• Local high street activity and community pride

The Funding Situation

Current Position:

Festival Cost: £60,000

Funding Secured: £41,000

Remaining Shortfall: £19,000

Without additional support, key parts of the programme are at risk.

What Your Donation Supports

Donation (Activity)

£10 (Volunteer travel and meals)

£25 (Site equipment)

£50 (Parade Marshalls)

£100 (School or community workshop)

£250 (Performers & technical support)

£500+ (Major programme contribution)

Festival Zones

Heart of Carnival

Hands-on workshops explore the creative traditions behind Carnival. Sessions are developed in partnership with local schools, youth groups and community organisations.

Volunteer & Train

Practical experience in community arts and event production. Supporting people of all backgrounds and experience levels to: support workshops, help deliver performances and parades, gain new creative skills, meet new people and access opportunities

People’s Parade

This vehicle-free, people-powered procession fills the streets with dazzling costumes, live music and carnival energy. Masqueraders, community groups, artists and performers come together in a Caribbean inspired celebration of movement, rhythm and collective joy.

A-Maze-In Sounds

A full day of Carnival sounds, curated by a coalition of legendary sound systems, including sets supplied by Leyton's Foundation Sound System, with Sir Breena Sound, Company Soul Sound and DejaVuFM, and introducing Soca Más, and Platform WF

Voices to the World

Celebrating the global sounds that shape our communities, with an energetic mix of bands and performers bringing together musical traditions from across the world, from Caribbean rhythms to contemporary community music.

The Joyful Noise

Uplifting performances and rich harmonies that bring audiences together in song. Choirs and vocal groups from across Waltham Forest share a vibrant programme of music spanning Reggae, Gospel, Caribbean Folk, Soul and more.

The Pan Yard

A lively open-air celebration of steel pan music. Inspired by the rehearsal spaces where Caribbean steel bands gather before Carnival, our pop-up Pan Yard invites audiences to experience the joy and craft behind the music

World Wide Weekend

Transforming Leyton High Road into a day-long creative trail, with local artists, venues and businesses hosting pop-up events, from DJ sets, music gigs to unexpected artistic happenings

Call to Action

Every donation, sponsorship, introduction, repost and act of support helps power Leyton Más 2026.

Donate, share and be part of the movement celebrating community, creativity and culture in Waltham Forest.

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 19th July 2026 at 11:55pm