Market Town
Market Town
Friday 28 – Saturday 29 August 2026
Romford Market
For over 775 years, Romford Market has been a place of exchange, encounter and community. This August Bank Holiday, Market Town transforms the historic market and surrounding streets into a 24-hour stage celebrating the voices, stories and everyday experiences that define this place.
Daytime, Saturday: Suburban Legends
During the day, Suburban Legends brings the market to life through performance and participation, with a hundred participants animating Romford Market and its surrounding streets. Residents are invited to take part, encountering stories of traders, local characters and the myths that shape the town – celebrating enterprise, humour and resilience, and revealing the epic within the everyday.
Evening, Friday & Saturday: Meet Me By The Fountain
A lost landmark returns to the heart of Romford — a meeting point between past, present and future.
As night falls, one of London’s largest and oldest markets comes to life. Light, projection and sound ripple across the space, reawakening the spirit of the iconic Liberty fountain and the stories it holds. Created by David Shearing, with text by Vickie Donoghue, sound by James Bulley and video projection by Novak, Meet Me by the Fountain brings echoes of memories together in a spectacular experience.
Meet Me by the Fountain weaves together voices and images of the market’s 775 history: from its origins, to the medieval, from wartime to the 80’s, from today and into an imagined future…
Produced by Havering London in partnership with GDIF and supported by Arts Council England, National Lottery Heritage Fund, Havering Council, Romford BID and Historic England.
Be part of an epic Romford Celebration in Romford Market
As part of Market Town, we’re inviting local groups and individuals to help bring Suburban Legends to life – uncovering, reimagining and animating the myths, memories and half-told stories that shape Romford. There are three ways to be part of Suburban Legends:
1. Storying a Legend. Take part in a free creative workshop exploring Romford’s heritage and hidden histories. Together, we’ll imagine suburban legends – real, forgotten, misremembered or entirely invented. Open to schools, performing arts and community groups who want to shape the stories at the heart of the event.
2. Making a Legend. Every legend needs a good outfit! We’re creating over 100 costumes and are looking for volunteer makers, costume designers, fashion and textile artists, prop builders and hands-on creatives to help design and build them.
3. Performing a Legend. On Saturday 29 August, the legends step into the town. We’re looking for individuals and groups – including dance companies, theatre groups, choirs, community organisations and individuals – who would like to be part of the live performance element in Romford town centre. Whether you’re a community group, organisation, or an individual, we’d love to hear from you.
Part of Havering Unearthed. Havering Unearthed is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic England, Romford BID, Arts Council England and London Borough of Havering.
Photo: Lenscap / Alamy Stock Photo.
Get Involved
Call Out: Suburban Legends: Be part of an epic Romford Celebration
Ongoing
Suburban Legends: Be part of an epic Romford Celebration
Register your interest by 30 June 2026
Suburban Legends: Calling all crafters and makers of all skill levels!
Ongoing
Suburban Legends: Come and share your Romford stories
Ongoing - register now
Events
Meet Me By The Fountain
Friday 28 August and Saturday 29 August 2026 • Havering London
Romford MarketA lost landmark returns to the heart of Romford — a meeting point between past, present and future. As night falls, one of London’s largest and oldest markets comes to life.
Suburban Legends
Saturday 29 August 2026 • Havering London
Romford MarketFor over 775 years, Romford Market has been a place of exchange, encounter and community. This August Bank Holiday, Market Town transforms the historic market and surrounding streets into a 24-hour stage celebrating the voices, stories and everyday experiences that define this place.
Stories
