Join Redbridge Culture & Libraries for a vibrant celebration of life & death in this family friendly arts festival inspired by festivals and traditions from around the world.

This year, inspired by different customs and traditions from around the world, the annual Redbridge Festival of the Dead will be even bigger and take place in both Wanstead and Ilford. Join us for two colourful and memorable days. On Thursday 31 October, you are invited to join us at Wanstead Library from 12.30pm to 5pm and at Redbridge Central Library on Friday 1 November from 12pm to 5.30pm.

Everyone (big and small) is invited to come dressed up in brightly coloured clothes or their favourite Day of the Dead inspired costumes to join in with the celebrations and take part in the lantern parade – add some lights or glow sticks and you’ll be ready to light up our procession. Prizes will be awarded to the best dressed!

Click the links below to find out what’s happening at each location.

Festival of the Dead

Accessibility

We want everyone to be able to enjoy our festival and have taken the following steps to open the festival to a wider audience:

• Quiet spaces and relaxed performances
• BSL interpreted performances (More information to follow)
• Wheel-chair accessible venue and procession routes
• Service dogs are welcome
• Easy read guides

For those who prefer to come when the festival is quieter, we will have limited craft activities available from 12.30pm (Wanstead) and 12pm (Redbridge Central).

Please contact culture@visionrcl.org.uk for more information and if you have any specific access needs.

Content Warning: The festival deals with the theme of death which might be upsetting for some people. The subject will be approached sensitively, and all activities have been designed with family audiences in mind. Although the Festival is suitable for all ages, parental guidance is recommended for some activities.

Photography & videography will be taking place throughout this event.

This festival has been curated by Redbridge Libraries & Culture Development team for Vision RCL. Our festival has been visually inspired by Day of the Dead festivals from around the world and aims to be educational and to show appreciation of different cultures.

The Death Positive Library

Redbridge Library Service is the UK’s first Death Positive Library Service.

Death positivity is an emerging philosophy that reframes the way people view death and encourages people to speak openly about death, dying and grief.

Death positivity is about making the most of life, reducing the impact that our deaths have on the environment, and allowing those who are dying to do so with greater dignity and comfort.

Since 2017, Redbridge Library Service has been exploring creative ways to help people talk about death and grief by using books, films, arts, and tea and cake!  We host regular events and have curated book collections on all aspects of death, dying and bereavement.

Our service has led the way in creating a national framework and has inspired other libraries across the UK and Northern Ireland to become death positive.