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11th / Jul / 2025
The opening day brought an explosion of creativity and entertainment to Ilford High Road and surrounding streets. Face painting delighted children and families throughout the afternoon, while buskers and live musicians filled the air with sound. A highlight of the day was the UK Pro Wrestling takeover outside Redbridge Town Hall. Crowds gathered to cheer on five high-energy bouts between 1:00 pm and 4:30 pm, creating a mini-arena atmosphere in the heart of Ilford.
Shoppers also explored 38 market stalls, featuring artisan products, crafts, and delicious street food. Alongside the markets, 13 artists began transforming town centre walls and panels into breathtaking works ofart — including ELNO, The Seyer, Fatcapspray, Brave_Arts, Jeru Nomi, VLADrealarts, Airborne Mark, Urge (@grr_urge), Doppel, Abraham.o1, Ricebarcelona, Remi Rough, and ArtofOath.
Artists worked live throughout the day, creating striking murals that captured the imagination of visitors. Locations included Exchange Ilford Cranbrook Road, Station Road by O’Neil’s, the High Road between Boots and Popeyes, Redbridge Town Hall, and Clements Road by SPACE Ilford.
Crowds were wowed by a classic car show, featuring 20 stunning vehicles, including a rare one of 25 Aston Martin signed by Stirling Moss. Families joined in on the fun with Crazy Golf and the Ping Hub table tennis competition run by Table Tennis England at Exchange Ilford.
A standout highlight was the London Ambulance Service CPR training, which equipped over 200 residents with lifesaving skills across the day.
The event was attended by civic leaders including Ilford South MP Jas Athwal, Leader of Redbridge Council Cllr Kam Rai, Deputy Leader Cllr Vanisha Solanki, Cabinet Member for Planning & Economic Growth Cllr Sadhia Warraich, and Chief Executive Claire Hamilton. All praised Ilford inColour for uniting art, community pride, and regeneration.
Business & Partnerships
Ilford inColour was proudly supported by Afrikana, O’Neil’s, DigiPix, Muffin Break, and NuSound Radio. Each offered exclusive deals for visitors and partnered in interviews and promotional activity. Shoppers also enjoyed free Ilford inColour tote bags, given away across the weekend.
Two large-scale artworks will remain on display after the event: Station Road (Old Bodgers Building, by O’Neil’s) and High Road (between Boots and Popeyes). These murals will continue to inspire residents and visitors alike, leaving a lasting artistic mark on Ilford.
Cyril Bekoe, Ilford BID Manager, said: 'Ilford inColour 2025 was a phenomenal success. From world-class artists to community activities, markets, and live performances, the event showcased the very best of Ilford. The feedback from businesses, residents, and visitors has been overwhelmingly positive, and we look forward to building on this success for 2026.'
Ilford inColour 2025 truly brought the town centre to life, celebrating creativity, diversity, and togetherness. With more still to come in the years ahead, Ilford is firmly on the map as a place where art and community thrive. Check out the event photgraphy below with credits to Paul Fox of Event Capture.
Day 1 - InColour 2025 Festival Highlights
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Day 2 - InColour 2025 Day Two Highlights
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