The Lambeth Country Show 2016 brought farm animals, fairground rides, live music and Caribbean food to Brockwell Park. I headed down to Herne Hill for a Saturday wander, meeting friends by the main stage before joining the queue for jerk chicken. This film, first published on 17 July 2016, captures a summer afternoon in South London.
From Herne Hill to the Lambeth Country Show 2016
The visit begins outside Herne Hill station, with market stalls and people filling the streets nearby. I grew up in southeast London, so this trip felt close to home. Yet the scale of the show was still a surprise. Once inside the park, tents, crowds and music stretched across the grass.
Entry was free on this visit. That made the range of things to see particularly impressive: you could move between a country show, a fairground and a music festival in one afternoon. The film follows a walk around those different areas, rather than trying to cover every stall or performance.
Farm animals, village markets and fairground rides
A colourful sign points towards the Village Green Stage, Village Markets, Main Arena and funfair. It gives a sense of how much ground there is to cover. I started with a look around the farm area, where visitors gathered beside the animal pens and a marquee. Later, the main arena offered another glimpse of the country-show side of the day.
Meanwhile, local traders and food stalls lined the routes between the attractions. There was also a cycling area, which I spotted on the way towards the stages. These smaller stops helped give the event its character: there was plenty to explore before settling down for the music.
The fairground added another change of pace. Inflatable slides and children’s attractions sat alongside larger rides. Families moved between the stalls, while other visitors simply found a patch of grass to sit on. Brockwell Park was busy, but the afternoon still had a relaxed feel.
Live music and friends by the main stage
After passing the Village Green Stage, I made my way towards the main stage to find friends. The crowd was large enough to make that a small expedition in itself. Once we met up, I spent a couple of hours enjoying the music.
The video includes a stretch of performance and crowd footage, with the stage ahead and a wide summer sky above the park. Those scenes convey the atmosphere better than talking over it. When I moved away again, the next priority was something to eat.
Jerk chicken from Taste of the Caribbean
Smoke rising from the barbecues made the Caribbean food stalls easy to find. The queues were long, and I chose Taste of the Caribbean after spotting its sign and grills. It was a good place to pause and take in the view across the busy park.
My order was jerk chicken with rice and peas, salad and a side of plantain, plus ginger beer. Sitting on the grass, I found a generous portion of chicken beneath the rest of the meal. The spice built as I ate, and the plantain was a welcome part of the plate. In the film, I give this particular meal a positive verdict.
That food stop was one of the highlights of my Lambeth Country Show 2016 visit. With music still carrying across the park, it brought together much of what I had come for: a sunny afternoon, good food and a crowd enjoying themselves.
Leaving Brockwell Park
I headed off at around seven, while friends stayed to enjoy more music. Before returning to Herne Hill station, I pointed out Brockwell Hall, a reminder of the park beyond the temporary stages and stalls. The final moments of the film take us back towards the railway.
This is a record of the 2016 show, including the food, programme and free entry described at the time. For another year in the archive, see my Lambeth Country Show 2018 visit.
