The Modern Cockney Festival 2026 programme is out now! We’ve got a wonderful array of in-person and online events – click below and don’t miss out…
Full listing for the Modern Cockney Festival 2026
Exhibition – free to view in person
Being Cockney: An intimate lens
1st March – 25th March 2026
10am-8pm
Venue: Rich Mix Gallery, Shoreditch
Opening night tickets 04/03 at 6.30pm (free) – book here: https://buytickets.at/moderncockneyfestival/2077337
Exhibition – opening night
Being Cockney: An intimate lens
Wednesday 6th March 2026
6.30pm
Venue: Rich Mix Gallery, Shoreditch
Book here:
https://buytickets.at/moderncockneyfestival/2077337
Outdoor exhibition
Shifting Narratives
Monday 2nd March-Friday 13th March 2026
6pm-11pm
Venue: Mallon gardens, Toynbee Hall, Aldgate East
No booking required.
Online talk (free)
Outclassed
Monday 2nd March 2026
4pm
Book here: https://buytickets.at/moderncockneyfestival/2060702
Free online talk
The Changing Voice of Cockney
Thursday 5th March 2026
12pm
Book here:
https://buytickets.at/moderncockneyfestival/2075374
Rehearsed reading in costume
I, Minnie Lansbury
Thursday 5th March 2026
7pm
Venue: Tate Institute, Newham E16
Booking link: https://buytickets.at/moderncockneyfestival/2056696
Family fun day
‘Cockneygami’, Design a Cockney kilt & Rhyming slang for Kids
Saturday 7th March 2026
11am-3pm
Venue: London Museum Docklands E14
No booking required.
In person memorial service
Bethnal Green Tube disaster
Sunday 8th March 2026
2pm
Venue: St. John on Bethnal Green church,Bethnal Green, E2
No pre-booking required.
Various events taking place around London.
Note: British Pie Week 2026 runs 2 March – 8 March 2026.
Free online talk and presentation
The Battle of Cable Street 90th anniversary event
Monday 16th March 2026
12.30pm
With Author Michael Rosen, Dr. Glyn Robbins and Dr. Abdullah Faliq
Booking link: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/moderncockneyfestival/2064206
Online talk + in-person gathering
In Search of the Pearly Moon of Eid
Date for online talk: Wednesday 18th March 2026 Time: 12.30pm -1.30pm
Date of moonsighting: Thursday 19th March 2026, 5.30pm for in-person gathering to look out for the new crescent moon. Location: East London, TBC. Booking link for both talk + gathering: https://buytickets.at/moderncockneyfestival/2084012
Online talk
Cockney Roots: How to discover your Cockney ancestors
Thursday 19th March 2026
12.30pm
Booking link: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/moderncockneyfestival/2064291
Free walking tour
Walk the Poplar Rates Rebellion
Dates + times: Friday 20th March 11:00-12:00, Tuesday 24th March 12:00-13:00, and Thursday 26th March 12:00-13:00
Starts at: Opposite Poplar Rates Rebellion Mural, Hale Street, Poplar, E14 OBF. All Saints DLR station. Ends at: Old Poplar Baths, 170 East India Dock Road, E14 OED. Booking link: https://buytickets.at/moderncockneyfestival/2066356
In-person talk
Transforming The Stories Of Us
Monday 23rd March 2026
Time: (5.30pm arrival) 6pm-8pm
Venue: Museum of the Home, 136 Kingsland Road, Hoxton, E2 8EA
Free to attend. Register here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/moderncockneyfestival/2083980
Project launch
Nellie Cressall: A New Opera
Date: Wednesday 25th March 2026
6.30pm
Venue: Oxford House, London
Booking link: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/nellie-cressall-launch-tickets-1980594918718?aff=oddtdtcreator
The full MCF26 is available to view on the Modern Cockney Festival 2026 webpage.
This year’s festival unites two East End female legends: Minnie Lansbury in a script-in-hand performance, and Nellie Cressall with the launch of a new opera project.
Meet the team
This year’s festival reflects the care and creativity of skilled individuals and emerging practices. It has been a true labour of love for our team.
Andy Green
Co-founder
Saif Osmani
Co-founder
Eileen Jamieson
Photographer
Talented students
University of Westminster
We’ve teamed up with brilliant companies, community organisations, writers, and activists – and this year’s line-up is bigger and bolder than ever.
Want to work with Modern Cockney Festival, volunteer your time, or pitch a cracking idea? Email [email protected] — we’d love to hear from you.
Some of the fantastic organisations that we have worked with:
FAQs
What is the Modern Cockney Festival?
The Modern Cockney Festival, held annually in March, is a month-long celebration of London’s evolving working-class culture, identity, and heritage. It challenges old stereotypes by showcasing a diverse, resilient community, combining traditional elements like Pie & Mash with modern, inclusive voices.
Who is behind the Modern Cockney Festival?
The Modern Cockney Festival is co-founded and run by Andy Green of Grow Social Capital CIC and Saif Osmani of the Bengali East End Heritage Society.
Originally launched as Cockney Conversations Month as global COVID-19 restrictions began to lift, the initiative started in 2022. Its aim is to celebrate the evolving, diverse, and inclusive nature of Cockney culture and identity, with a particular focus on Londoners who identify as proudly “non-posh.”
How do I get involved with the Festival?
To get involved with the Modern Cockney Festival in March of each year, attend in-person and online events, participate in National Pie ‘n’ Mash Week, and engage with, or contribute to, the virtual museum. Run by Grow Social Capital CIC and the Bengali East End Heritage Society, the festival invites you to celebrate modern, inclusive Cockney culture, with opportunities to join workshops, walking tours, and donate to support the initiative.
Can I apply to be a part of the team?
Yes, you’re very welcome to join the team. Just send us an email at [email protected], and we’ll take it from there!