South London's GALA Festival, known for its electronic music programming, faces both expansion plans and significant local opposition as organisers seek permission to double its duration next year.
Expansion Plans and Proposed Dates
The independent festival, currently held over one weekend annually in Peckham Rye Park, has submitted plans to Southwark Council to operate across two separate three-day weekends in 2025. If approved, the extended event would run from Friday, May 22 to Sunday, May 25, followed by a second weekend from Friday, May 29 to Sunday, May 31.
The proposed expansion includes significant programming changes. While the first weekend would maintain GALA's traditional electronic music focus featuring acts like Floating Points and Caribou, the second weekend would incorporate an Afrobeats festival and the Mahrajan Festival, broadening the event's musical diversity.
Community Response and Opposition
Despite its popularity among attendees, the festival has generated substantial controversy among some local residents. Following last year's event, community members launched a petition that has gathered 516 signatures calling for the council to permanently revoke the festival's licence.
The petition states: "We call on Southwark Council to stop granting a licence to GALA Festival — permanently. This festival is not for us, it is not with us, and it does not benefit us. It disrespects our community, our children, our elderly neighbours, and our shared public spaces."
Residents have cited multiple concerns including:
- Excessive noise levels during and after events
- Antisocial behaviour by some attendees
- Damage to Peckham Rye Park following the festival
Council Consultation Process
Southwark Council has initiated a formal consultation process to evaluate the proposed seven-day event. The council's Events Team organised two community engagement sessions on Wednesday, November 19 to gather local feedback.
The consultation findings will be published before January 31, 2026, determining whether the expanded festival receives approval. Meanwhile, organisers have proposed a free community festival called On The Rye Festival scheduled for Bank Holiday Monday, potentially as a goodwill gesture to local residents.
GALA Festival organisers declined to comment when approached by media about the expansion plans and community opposition. The festival's future in Peckham now rests on balancing its growth ambitions with addressing legitimate community concerns about its local impact.
