Emerge East

U-Build got their dancing shoes on in East London to help bring some music to the streets.

Emerge East is Barking Riverside’s annual free festival celebrating community, creativity and nature. Conceived to shine a light on local talent — from emerging artists and makers to home cooks, musicians and performers — the festival reflects Barking Riverside’s ambition to become one of Europe’s largest and most vibrant new neighbourhoods, and London’s only ‘Healthy New Town’.

From the very beginning, Emerge East has been about collaboration with the local community. The system was provided again to help HemingwayDesign work closely with Barking Riverside residents, cultural groups and local organisations to co-create a festival that reflects the spirit of the place and the people shaping it. Each edition is designed to give a platform to local talent, generate opportunities for participation, and create a shared sense of ownership as the area develops.

In September 2025, Emerge East returned for its fourth year, bigger and better than ever. Much-loved features such as the Riverside Sauna & Wellness Zone, the Emerging Makers Market and The Home Cooks sat alongside a bold new addition: the Barking Riverside Block Party. Curated by One Room Live, Barking & Dagenham’s acclaimed music and arts collective, the Block Party provided a stage for community performances, local DJs and headline acts hosted by Capital Xtra.

Now firmly established as an annual highlight, Emerge East continues to grow with Barking Riverside itself — a large-scale celebration of the area’s creativity and identity, and most importantly, a festival shaped with and for the community.