Essential Information
| Type | Events and festivals |
|---|---|
| Location |
In Greenwich
|
| Date and Times | Saturday 18 May 2024 | 11am - 4.30pm |
| Prices | Free | Free wristbands required for talks |
Our friends at the Caribbean Social Forum are back with a family-friendly celebration of Caribbean culture, featuring music, games, talks, Caribbean food, history, workshops and dancing!
While some spaces in the National Maritime Museum are closed due to ongoing roof improvement works, the Caribbean Social Forum have curated a day of activities across the grounds outside the Queen's House and the National Maritime Museum, with a small number of talks and activities taking place inside. This is mainly an outdoor event, and as it looks likely that it will rain, we encourage you to dress for wet weather.
Due to the roof works, capacity will be significantly lower than previous years and as a result we will be repeating the morning's programme in the afternoon, with the first session running from 11am - 2pm and the second from 2pm - 4.30pm.
We expect the afternoon session to be busy, so for a better chance of participating in activities we encourage you to arrive for the morning session. Please note that as the number of people we can accommodate in all activities this year is greatly reduced, we cannot guarantee entry to individual activities once we hit capacity.
Capacity for our talks spaces is low, so we will be operating a first-come, first-served wristband system. Wristbands will be available for free from the information point outside the Queen's House entrance, and visitors will be able to get a wristband for a maximum of two talks, or one talk and one storytelling session. Wristbands will be given out at 11.30am for the morning talks and storytelling, and 1.30pm for the afternoon talks and storytelling session.
What's on
Please note that in the event of wet weather some locations for activities may change.
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Opening words
11am - 11.30am | Queen's House Balcony
We'll kickstart the day with opening words from Leroy Logan, Shaun Wallace, Rudolph Walker CBE and Paddy Rodgers.
Quadrille dancing participatory demonstration
12pm – 1.15pm | West Colonnade, Queen's House
Get involved and try your hand at quadrille, a traditional 18th-century dance, with JA'NUKA Quadrille Company
Games without wires
11am – 1.30pm | Undercroft, Queen’s House
Try out a variety of board games big and small with the Caribbean Social Forum.
Fly my Flag workshop
11am – 2:00pm | Rethink Space, National Maritime Museum
Join Rachelle Romeo in creating a flag which represents who you are. Your flag will be a representation of your own identity, your culture, your happiness, and your life. This is a drop-in activity which lasts for about 20 minutes.
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Morning talks
Steve Martin on Historic Black Greenwich – What We Know and What We Don’t Know
12pm – 1pm | Great Hall, Queen's House
Laura Hampden on Archaeology: Healing & Care in the Caribbean
12.30pm – 1.30pm | Van de Veldes Studio, Queen's House
Michael Ohajuru on Misogynoir and the History of the Image of the African Woman in Western European Art
12.30pm – 1.30pm | Governor's Parlour
Storytelling with Diana Olutunmogun
1.15pm – 1.45pm | Great Hall, Queen's House
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Quadrille dancing participatory demonstration
14.30pm – 15:45 | Queen’s House, West Colonnade
Get involved and try your hand at quadrille, a traditional 18th-century dance, with JA'NUKA Quadrille Company
Games without wires
1.30pm – 4pm | Undercroft, Queen’s House
Try out a variety of board games big and small with the Caribbean Social Forum.
Fly my flag
2.00pm – 4pm | Rethink Space, National Maritime Museum
Join Rachelle Romeo in creating a flag which represents who you are. Your flag will be a representation of your own identity, your culture, your happiness, and your life. This drop-in activity lasts for about 20 minutes.
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Afternoon talks
Joy White on Growing Up Under the Influence: A Sonic Genealogy of Grime
2pm – 3pm | Great Hall, Queen's House
Laura Hampden on Archaeology: Healing & Care in the Caribbean
2pm – 3pm | Van de Veldes Studio, Queen's House
Steve Martin on Historic Black Greenwich – What We Know and What We Don’t Know
2pm – 3pm | Governor's Parlour, Queen's House
Michael Ohajuru on Misogynoir and the History of the Image of the African Woman in Western European Art
3.15pm – 4.15pm | Van de Veldes Studio, Queen's House
Storytelling with Diana Olutunmogun
3.15pm – 3.45pm | Great Hall, Queen's House
Throughout the day | 11am – 4pm
Open Studios: Windrush Retold Residents
Residency Studio, Sea Things Gallery of the National Maritime Museum | 1.30pm - 4pm
Join artists Griffi and Rosie in their open studio where they’ve been working for the past few months for the Windrush Retold Residency. Come and have a look at their collection of objects and artworks.
Social space
North East Lawn
The North East Lawn, closest to our Park Row entrance, will become a hub for eating, relaxing and socialising. Delicious food from Cummin’ Up, Caribbean Hut, Port Royal, and Global Vegan Bakery will be available from their mobile food trucks.
Here you can also join in some outdoor games without wires run by the Caribbean Social Forum and participate in a citizen history project documenting the names of other important ships beyond the Empire Windrush.
Musical performances
North West Lawn
Our North West Lawn will play host to musical performances across reggae, opera and gospel.
Steelpan performer
11am - 4pm | Samy Ofer Wing entrance of the National Maritime Museum
Caricaturist
11am - 4pm | West Central Lawn
Dominoes
11am - 4pm | The Queen's House East Colonnades
Learn from the best with the Caribbean Social Forum’s expert domino player – take part in a game or simply come and watch!
Games Without Wires - boardgames
10am - 4pm | The Queen's House Undercroft
Games Without Wires - larger games
10am - 4pm | North East Lawn
Character Actors (suitable for ages 6+):
Pearl Morris
Voyagers gallery in the National Maritime Museum | 11.30am, 12.30pm and 1.30pm
Meet Pearl Morris, a Caribbean woman who travelled to Britain in 1948 on the Empire Windrush, a passenger liner that brought one of the first large groups of post-war West Indians to the United Kingdom. A matron of the Windrush Generation, Pearl will tell you what life was like for a Caribbean woman in Britain in the 50s, and how she made this island her home.
John Simmonds
Nelson, Navy, Nation gallery in the National Maritime Museum | 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm
John Simmonds (1783–1858), was a black sailor who served with Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar, 1805. Developed with John’s descendants and using over 40 years of family research, the performance will take you on a journey through the Nelson, Navy, Nation gallery. Please meet at Nelson, Navy Nation.
Walking Images
Queen's House
A host of historical characters from across the Caribbean will roam the Queen's House throughout the day, shedding light on their vital contributions to British history
Our partners
Event organised in partnership with the Caribbean Social Forum
Keep in touch
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What’s On
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