A family fun festival with music and sport is planned to mark 150 years of one of east London’s “most loved” public parks.

The Grade II-listed West Ham Park, which has been managed by the City of London Corporation since 1874, is the largest green space today in the built-up urban borough of Newham.

A tree was planted there just last year as a memorial to Queen Elizabeth II.

Park that gets 2m visitors a year  (Image: City of London)

Now a weekend of family activities is on the cards for July 20 and 21 with live music, arts and crafts, a children’s fun fair, food stalls and sports such as football, cricket, tennis, athletics, Tai Chi and long-boarding.

Singer-songwriter and social media star Celina Sharma and DJ Ellis are among artists appearing at the festival.

“Our volunteers have played a crucial role for almost 20 years to help maintain this cherished green space,” Charlotte Cook from Friends of West Ham Park said. “This is a much-loved space used by young and old, in this highly-developed part of east London.”

The park was laid out on the original Upton House estate, which dates back to 1762 when it was acquired by Dr John Fothergill, then later transferred to the City of London Corporation in 1874 to create a public park for east Londoners.

West Ham Park today gets more than two million visitors every year — equalling 35 times the capacity of the London Stadium in Stratford. 

Chair of the City of London Corporation’s West Ham Park Committee, Caroline Haines, said: “West Ham Park has been a vibrant and beautiful place for local people to enjoy for 150 years.

"It is a vital part of the community, offering diverse recreational opportunities, educational programs, and a serene environment for reflection.

“As we celebrate this milestone, we reflect on the history and contributions of those who have helped shape the park into the cherished green space it is now.

"Our anniversary events are a testament to the community spirit that West Ham Park continues to foster, celebrating nature, diversity, and community, and we look forward to many more years to come.”

It features historic ornamental gardens, along with a community vegetable garden, 12 tennis courts, three cricket nets, football pitches and a grass running track used by Newham schools for sports days during the summer.

A large children’s playground recently had a £750,000 makeover.

The park is reckoned to be worth almost £10m a year in social benefits to society, with every £1 spent on maintenance creating £11.70 in public benefits.

It forms part of a network of 11,000 acres of green space managed by the City of London Corporation across London and the south east, much of which is looked after by charity trusts that do not cost the community a penny to maintain.