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Black History Season 2025
While we celebrate Black history all year, every year in Hackney, Black History Season is a time where we focus on celebrating the richness and diversity of Black heritage in the borough.
Our youth hubs and adventure playgrounds will be celebrating Black History Season, which runs from October to November. It’s a chance to learn and celebrate how Black history and culture have contributed to the Hackney we live in today.
Check out a snapshot of some of the activities below at Forest Road Youth Hub, The Edge Youth Hub, Shoreditch Adventure Playground and Stoke Newington Youth Hub. For more information, please contact each respective hub and adventure playground.
We’ll be updating this page with more events during November soon – stay tuned by following us on social media or by signing up for our newsletter.
Forest Road Youth Hub
For young people aged 10 – 19 (up to 25 with SEND)
Address: 29 Forest Rd, London E8 3BY.
Info: jamie.cutler@hackney.gov.uk tahnee.braithwaite@hackney.gov.uk
Voices of Colour – Spoken Word/Poetry
Every Tuesday until 28 October, 6-8.30pm
Come down on Tuesdays to Forest Road and be inspired to create your own spoken word/poetry with our youth workers.
Black British Icons: Then & Now
Every Thursday until 23 October, 6-8.30pm
Come down on Thursdays and create a display of Black British Icons through history, which celebrates activists, sportspeople, artists and many more.
Documentary Film Screening
Every Friday until 24 October, 6-8.30pm
End the week feeling motivated and reflective at Forest Road with their film/documentary screening centred around the Black History Season theme of “Standing Firm in Power & Pride.”
The Edge Youth Hub
For young people aged 10 – 19 (up to 25 with SEND)
Address: 7 Woodberry Grove, Woodberry Down, London N4 1SN
Info: sarah.fox@hackney.gov.uk rio.jones@hackney.gov.uk
Learn about Black artists through the ages
Every Monday, from 3.30pm
Cooking sessions & Black British Icons: Then & Now
Every Tuesday, from 3.30pm
Cooking & boxing sessions
Every Wednesday, from 3.30pm
Discover and learn about different cultures through food and take part in our boxing session, where we’ll have learn about Black British sporting legends
Documentary screenings
Every Thursday, from 3.30pm
See a new documentary screening every Thursday, which are centred around the Black History Season theme of “Standing Firm in Power & Pride.”
Bring and share!
Every Friday, from 3.30pm
Discover new food and music at our ‘bring and share’ every Friday at The Edge!
Hackney Youth Parliament’s Black History Season Event
Sat 15 November, 1-5pm
Come join Hackney Youth Parliament at the Forest Road Youth Hub (Young Hackney) for a day filled with celebration and education! Hackney Youth Parliament’s event will showcase the rich history and achievements of the Black community through engaging workshops, tasty food, and vibrant performances.
Adventure Playgrounds
Our adventure playground offers free play activities, meaning that you can choose what activities you’d like to do when you come down. This Black History Season, Shoreditch Adventure Playground is offering different themed activities every week, while Hackney Marsh has different themes on certain days – if you are interested in joining in, simply pop down during their opening hours and ask to take part!
For children aged 6 – 15 (up to 18 with SEND)
Opening hours during term time:
Tuesday to Fridays 3.30pm – 7.30pm
Saturday 11am-4pm
Opening hours during half term:
Tuesday 27 Oct to Friday 31 Oct 10am – 5pm
Hackney Marsh Adventure Playground
For children aged 6 – 15 (up to 18 with SEND)
Address: Daubeney Fields, Kingsmead Way, London E9 5PP
Contact: hackneymarshap@hackney.gov.uk or phone 020 8986 7245
October:
Tuesday 21 October: Caribbean Curry and Roti Night
Wednesday 22 October: Silhouette Power and Pride self-portraits (Create bold self-portraits celebrating identity and strength).
Thursday 23 October: Making paper Kente Cloths tiles (Design and make your own colourful Kente-inspired paper cloth).
Friday 24 October: Drumming & Afrobeats glow stick dance off night
Tuesday 28 October: Making hair scrunchies and headbands from African textiles and imagery
Tuesday 11 November – Thursday 13 November: Storytelling & folklore circle: Gather around the fire pit as darkness falls to hear tales, legends and folklore, a mixture of magical mystery, history and bravery under the night sky.
Throughout the Black History Season, Hackney Marsh Adventure Playground will also be working on a collaborative playground quilt, using scrap cloths and vibrant African and Caribbean textiles. Come down any time to be a part of it!
Shoreditch Adventure Playground
Address: Mintern St, London N1 5EF
Saturday 11am-4pm
Contact: shoreditchap@hackney.gov.uk or phone 020 7729 3770
October:
29 September – 3 October: Adinkrah Painting (a system of visual symbols stamped or block-printed onto cloth which represents concepts, proverbs and aphorisms from the Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast).
6 October – 10 October: Kente Cloth Tie-Dye (Using a Ghanaian textile and Sierra Leonean techniques where fabric is folded, stitched and dipped into dye to create patterns).
13 October – 17 October: Flag T-Shirt Printing (Focusing on children and young people’s heritage, in which they can create their own bespoke flag designs).
20 October – 24 October: Community Cultural Celebration Event – (Parents and guardians will be preparing and serving traditional food from West Africa, East Africa and the Caribbean). Get in touch with the team to learn more about the event).
27 October – 31 October: Hair Braiding session
November:
3 November – 7 November: African Beaded Jewellery design session (an experienced staff member will be leading on this).
10 November – 14 November: Ndebele Shield Making (Southern African shield designs renowned for their highly decorative, bold geometric beadwork).
17 November – 21 November: Dream catchers and keyring making
24 November – 28 November: Badge making (Focusing on this year’s theme of Standing Firm In Power and Pride).
Stoke Newington Youth Hub
Come and see the talented young people at Stoke Newington Youth Hub perform The Journey of Harriet Tubman on Thursday, 30 October 6-8pm. This dynamic play tells the inspiring story of Harriet Tubman, a legendary figure of courage and resilience who led many to freedom through the Underground Railroad.
Tickets are £5. Book here.
