Echoes and Reminders - 75 Years on from the Festival of Britain
About this Event
The official guide to the South Bank Exhibition in the 1951 Festival of Britain described St John's Waterloo as the Festival Church "so near as to be almost a part of it, yet a real place apart".
With St John's as our start point, join Lambeth Tour Guide Alison Rae to uncover things that were part of the '51 celebration, and can still be found around Waterloo and the South Bank, while seeking out reminders of that Summer that have not survived.
The walk also coincides almost exactly with the 75th anniversary of the dedication of the National Theatre foundation stone. It offers a fascinating glimpse into the history that helped inspire this year's Waterloo Festival theme - Now I make a leaf of voices.
Why not bring a packed lunch and relax in the St John's churchyard garden after the walk and explore the festival's exhibitions? An outdoor jazz gig will be on until 4pm, with the exhibition spaces at St John's open all afternoon.
Places limited to 15 participants - advance booking essential
Date: Sunday, 12th July
Time: 11:30am - 1:00pm
Starting point: St John's Waterloo, Waterloo Road, London SE1 8TY
This event is held as part of the Waterloo Festival 2026. Explore the full festival programme via:
About your tour guide:
Alison Rae is an accredited Lambeth Guide and has devised Tours within the South London borough as well as events and tours for London Festival of Architecture. She is a Tutor at Morley College, for the Lambeth Guiding course. Rae has a background in performance and venue management and was for 10 years, until 2020 Head of Tours and Visiting at the National Theatre, London.
Photo credits (header): Festival of Britain aerial view of South Bank site. One of a set of six official postcards published by Jarrold.
About the Festival:
The Waterloo Festival is the annual celebration of arts, community, and heritage hosted by St John’s Waterloo and produced by its secular charity The Bridge At Waterloo. This year's edition runs from Thursday 9th to Sunday 12th July 2026 with a weekend of exhibitions, concerts and events.
About the festival theme:
This year’s theme – Now I make a leaf of voices – celebrates the coming together of people through harmony and polyphony, as well as individual expression. It is a celebration of the voice as a musical instrument, a tool for change, a means for collectivity and creativity. It is the voices of our community: artists, volunteers, participants, neighbours and passers-by.
This year’s Waterloo Festival draws inspiration from St John's role during the Festival of Britain of 1951: 75 years since it was rebuilt, after the Second World War, and 75 years since our venue hosted choral voices from across the country in a post-war celebration of innovation and renewal. St John's continues an ongoing life as a music venue and its enduring commitment to social justice. And once again, our Waterloo Festival weaves together a wide range of voices through art, music and community events.
This year's theme is inspired by Walt Whitman’s roaringly elegant poem “Voices”.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 15.00
