Satellite Events 2026

Ticket price determined by venue. Ticketed unless stated otherwise.

Time Address Title & Description
Fri 1st May: 6.00 PM Bootstrap 18 Ashwin St, London E8 3DL Festival Launch
Join us for the launch of Hackney History Festival 2026! Hosted at Bootstrap and Dalston Curve Garden with a preview of a map exhibition about historic Hackney called ‘This Place Then’ and short taster talks from many of the speakers featured in the festival. We’ll also hear from Charlie Peel, the exhibition’s cartographer, and David Williams, CEO of Bootstrap about their work and have some drinks and space to mingle. Cost includes first drink and snacks, with a paid bar after that. Exhibition continues throughout May with free entry 9am-5pm
Sat 2nd May: 1.00 PM St Augustine's Tower St Augustine's Tower
Family activities at the St Augustine's Tower, Hackney's oldest building. FREE, JUST TURN UP
Sat 2nd May: 2.00 PM Hackney Archives, Dalston Square, London E8 3BQ Wikipedia Training
Join us to learn how to create content on Wikipedia, a free-content online encyclopedia written and maintained by a community of volunteers. Trainers from Wikimedia UK will give an overview of Wikipedia editing, why it is important and help attendees to get started. We are particularly hoping to add more information on some of the women featured in Women from Hackney’s History Volumes 1 and 2, but participants will be able to focus on their areas of interest.
Sun 3rd May: 11.00 AM - 1:00 PM Abney Park Cemetery Chapel Celebrate 186 years of Abney Park Cemetery Chapel
Join Abney Park Trust and the Tower Theatre to celebrate 186 years since the laying of the foundation stone for the Chapel in Abney Park Cemetery. As part of the celebration, Abney Park Trust will open the Chapel and members of the Tower Theatre will bring some of the amazing residents to life and you might encounter Margaret Graham and hear about her dare devil balloon flights; or perhaps Issac Watts might tell you about his life with Lady Abney; James Braidwood might be there to explain how his dedication and ingenuity led to him becoming the father of the modern fire service- Pick up a map at the chapel and see who you can find. Oh yes, and of course there may be some birthday cake on a first come first served basis. FREE Just Turn up.
Sun 3rd May: 11.30 AM, 1.30 PM Lauriston Road, E9 7H Lauriston Road Cemetery: Open Site, Talk and Walk
Join us for a special open afternoon at Lauriston Road Jewish Cemetery, offering a chance to visit this historic site and learn about its story. The event will include a short talk introducing the history of the cemetery and its place in Hackney’s past, followed by a guided walk of the site. We will also share details of our current projects to document and research the graves, helping to preserve the cemetery’s heritage for future generations. There will be time for questions, discussion, and quiet exploration of the site.
Mon 4th May to Fri 29th May: Weekdays 9:00 AM - 5.00pm Bootstrap 18 Ashwin St, London E8 3DL This Place Then — Map Exhibition Bootstrap
The launch of a new series of detailed maps that superimpose contemporary Hackney neighbourhoods on their historic counterparts from around 100 years ago. By carefully redrawing and aligning past and present, the maps invite close looking: fields harden into housing, industrial uses are repurposed and new building layouts clash with the former urban grid. Graphically, they reward slow attention — dense, tactile, and full of rhythm — while also acting as tools for learning, comparison, and surprise. Seeing Lower Clapton, Stoke Newington, Dalston, Shoreditch, and Homerton in parallel time reveals subtle and radical change. Limited run of B1 (70 x 100 cm) prints for the 12 new maps are available for sale. Map-Editions is an independent publisher producing exquisitely printed, limited edition maps that combine rigorous research with playful, exploratory graphic design. Charlie Peel is a Bootstrap-based map maker whose work reimagines mapping as a way to notice, question, and re-see places we think we already know. He founded and runs Urban Good CIC. FREE, JUST TURN UP
Mon 4th May 5.00pm 99 Walford Rd, N16 8EF Walford Road Synagogue Tour
A tour of this synagogue building, formerly a Wesleyan Chapel, built in 1865 and extensively rebuilt in 1932. Walford Road Synagogue began as the New Dalston Synagogue in 1912, initially located at Blanche Hall.
Tue 5th May: 11:00 AM St Mark's Rise, London E8 2LJ St Mark's Dalston Tour
A chance to see inside this massive Victorian church built between 1864–1880 in the Early English Gothic style to serve a rapidly growing, impoverished population. Known as the "Cathedral of the East End" due to its 1,800–2,000 capacity, it is designed by Chester Cheston and features a rare, working outdoor turret barometer on its tower.
Wed 6th May: 11:00 AM 291 Mare St, London E8 1EJ Hackney Empire
Come behind the scenes to discover the history of Hackney Empire with a free guided tour. Hackney Empire is a grade II* listed building. The theatre was built as a music hall in 1901, designed by the architect Frank Matcham. It is now an exceptional variety theatre for the 21st century, serving the local community and beyond. Come behind the scenes to discover the history of Hackney Empire with a free guided tour. Hear how we went from a music hall, to a TV studio, to a Bingo Hall, to the theatre we are today.
Wed 6th May: 2:00 PM 117 – 119 Stoke Newington Road, London, N16 8BU Aziziye Mosque
A guided tour of the Aziziye Mosque in Stoke Newington, which was originally built in 1913-1914 as the Apollo Picture House, designed with a distinct mock-oriental style. It later operated as the Ambassador Cinema (1933) and the Astra Cinema (1974), which famously screened martial arts films. The building was purchased in 1983 and converted into a mosque by 1984. As this is a mosque, we kindly ask that all visitors are dressed modestly and appropriately. Shoes will also need to be removed upon entering the mosque. FREE
Wed 6th May: 2:30 PM - 6:00 PM The Premises Studios, 205 Hackney Rd, E2 8JL History of The Premises Studio
Join us for an introduction to the legendary Premises Studios - an East LDN institution and a cafe that has been part of London’s working music infrastructure for decades. A place for writing, rehearsing and recording and a space that has been frequented by artists of all shapes and sizes. From Nina Simone to Dave Brubeck, Billy Cobham to Al Green,Pulp to Amy Winehouse and Blur to Ezra Collective.. We will be joined by the man central to the Premises story - Mr Viv Broughton. As a musician he played with David Bowie, as a journalist he co founded The Voice, as an author he wrote Too Close To Heaven a seminal history of gospel music and as CEO and owner of the Premises he has guided it through an ever changing socio-political and economic landscape to firmly establish it as one of London's most cherished working studios and multi purpose artistic spaces. Hosted by Music Supervisor, DJ, Promoter and Podcaster Jeremy Newton .
Thur 7th May: 6:00 PM MORRIS+COMPANY 215 Mare St, London E8 3QJ Heritage-led Retrofit Projects
How do we honour the past, while shaping the future?” All buildings hold memories - and every brick carries an echo. A panel of local architects, historians and artists will explore the value of the stories behind the architecture of the existing, and how to respect the past as we plan for what comes next. Hosted by local architecture practice Morris+Company in their studios which occupy part of a late Victorian former factory and warehouse building on Mare Street. Learn how the practice reshaped and revived the existing building using circular economy principles to create a modern, working studio space. At the same time, visit their latest exhibition FROM THE QUARTER TO THE MORTAR: The Story of 15 Norton Folgate - a heritage-led, award-winning retrofit project in Shoreditch on the City Fringe.
Mon 11th May: 6:00 PM Hoxton Hall, 130 Hoxton Street, N1 6SH Hoxton Hall tour with Dr Deborah Jeffries
Come and have a tour around Hoxton Hall a surviving Grade 2* listed Music Hall on Hoxton Street. Opened in 1863 find out more about its colourful history from Music Hall stars and Temperance movements to rockstars and community shake ups the tour will be led by Dr Deborah Jeffries, historian, journalist, public speaker and tour guide specialising in Hoxton’s entertainment spaces. FREE
Fri 15th May: 4:00 PM 195 Mare St, E8 3QE Tours of 195 Mare Street
Visit 195 Mare Street, one of Hackney’s oldest buildings. Built in 1697, the house has an incredible history. Come on a tour and hear the stories of rich merchants, a venal Tory MP, women prisoners and working men. See the restoration in progress and discover objects found beneath the floorboards. FREE, Just turn up.
Fri 15th May: 4:30 PM - 7:30PM The Old Firestation, 61 Leswin Road N16 7NX The Old Firestation Open Event
Our much loved community building started life as a live-in working Firestation in 1886 and after closure by the LFB in the late 1970’s, re-opened its doors as a community centre in 1982. Find out more about its histories and what goes on here now at our community open evening, including impromptu tours of our spaces, tunes and tasty snacks. Open to all! FREE entry JUST TURN UP: donations welcome.
Fri 15th May: 2:00 PM - 7:30PM ESEACC Community Centre, 12-14 Englefield Road, N1 4LS
The ESEACC is a community building in De Beauvoir Conservation Area. It opened as a slipper bath in 1931 and after closure in the late 1960’s, re-opened its doors as a community centre in 1982 for Vietnamese refugees, then became the first Community Centre for East & South East Asian in the country. The building recently undergone a £2.6 investment to renew its facilities. Find out more about its histories and what goes on here now at our community open, including impromptu tours of our spaces, a talk at 6:00pm on the history of the building's recent visit the Fine Taste Cafe and Restaurant. A talk at 6:00pm on the recent investment to the building to make it fit for purpose as a modern community centre. Open to all! FREE entry JUST TURN UP: donations welcome.
Fri 16th May: 11:00 PM - 1:00 PM Laburnum Boat Club Laburnum Street, E2 8BH Canal Boat Trips
Join Laburnum Boat Club on a 2 hour guided narrowboat trip to learn the intriguing story of the Regent’s Canal in Hackney guided by Carolyn Clark sharing stories and information about life and work along the Cut over the last 200 years. Tickets https://bookwhen.com/laburnumboatclub/e/ev-s6cd0-20260516140000
Mon 18th May: 11.00 AM Mare St, E8 1EA Hackney Town Hall
Join a Hackney councillor on a guided tour of the beautiful art deco Town Hall and learn all about the building's heritage of local government, service delivery, and recently as an interactive theatre venue! FREE.
Mon 18th May: 5:00 PM 291 Mare St, London E8 1EJ Hackney Empire
Come behind the scenes to discover the history of Hackney Empire with a free guided tour. Hackney Empire is a grade II* listed building. The theatre was built as a music hall in 1901, designed by the architect Frank Matcham. It is now an exceptional variety theatre for the 21st century, serving the local community and beyond. Come behind the scenes to discover the history of Hackney Empire with a free guided tour. Hear how we went from a music hall, to a TV studio, to a Bingo Hall, to the theatre we are today.
Tue 19th May: 5:00 PM Clapton Girls' Academy, Laura Pl, E5 0RB History of Clapton Girls’ Academy: over a century of educating Hackney’s young women
For over 100 years the young women of Hackney have had the opportunity to achieve academic success through attending the school now known as Clapton Girls' Academy. In the early 1820's Hackney School, which resided on the present CGA site, was demolished and replaced by the London Orphan Asylum in 1826. Throughout the school's history names and buildings have changed but the school's aim has always been the same: To provide a safe environment which will help local girls become well-educated, strong, confident and compassionate women. Come along to this session to learn more about the history of the CGA site including its time as Hackney County Secondary School for Girls, John Howard, Clapton Park and Clapton Girls’ Technology College.
Wed 20th May: 1:00 PM Mare St, E8 1EA Hackney Town Hall
Join a Hackney councillor on a guided tour of the beautiful art deco Town Hall and learn all about the building's heritage of local government, service delivery, and recently as an interactive theatre venue! FREE.
Wed 20th May: 5:00 PM The Georgian Church, Rookwood Rd, London N16 6SS Georgian Church Tour
A chance to see inside this Grade II*-listed building, with exceptional Arts and Crafts stained glass windows and the former headquarters of a late-Victorian Christian cult.
Sat 23rd May: 12:00 PM Trinity Centre Dalston, Beechwood Rd, E8 3DY London School of Architecture
Join us for a guided tour of 4 Beechwood Road, home to the London School of Architecture (LSA) and its neighbour, Holy Trinity Church. We will begin the tour at Holy Trinity Church, a 19th-century Grade-II listed building in the Parish of the United Benefice of Holy Trinity with St Philip Dalston and All Saints Haggerston. Designed by Ewan Christian, a prominent British architect known for his extensive church restorations and for the National Portrait Gallery, the church remains an important local landmark. Next door, the London School of Architecture (LSA) moved into the Trinity Centre in 2023. Established as a charity in 2013, the LSA was founded to create a more accessible and practice-based model for architectural education. The school launched its Master’s programme in 2015 and expanded in 2022 to work with young people aged 11–19 through its access and outreach campaign, Part 0.

This initiative supports local young people in developing the confidence, skills, and knowledge needed to pursue careers in the built environment. Together, these two buildings offer a glimpse into how historic buildings can evolve while continuing to support local communities.
Sat 23rd May: 4:00 PM St Barnabas Shacklewell Row, London E8 2EA Faith Buildings in Hackney talk
Urban landscapes are shaped by faith: faith buildings act as landmarks both geographically and in collective cultural consciousness. Expanding upon his 2025 publication, Faith Buildings in the City of London, architectural historian Billy Hurley Reading explores 1,000 years of built history in the borough. Through churches, chapels, synagogues and temples, gudwaras, monasteries and mosques, Hackney's history of faith buildings is a complex story of shifts and evolution, repurposing and change. What faith means to us is personal. How we ask our buildings to reflect that therefore ranges wildly, from the very practical to the monumental. The outcomes remain behind as evidence, speaking of our shared values and changing attitudes, political and socio-economic histories, our hopes and fears from religious life to daily life.
Sat 23rd May: 12:00 PM WORLDwrite Centre, 201 Millfields Road, E5 0AL Celebrating 25 years in Hackney, WORLDwrite Open day
Join us at the old disinfecting station for presentations, stall, film screenings and a party! More information here
Sun 24th May: 4:00 PM 75 Downs Rd, E5 8D Bike tour of Hackney
The Pickwick Bicycle Club, founded in Hackney in 1870, is the world’s oldest cycling association. The ride will start outside its original base, on the northeast corner of Hackney Downs, before traversing the borough, with stops at Clapton Pond, Sutton House, St Augustine’s Tower, the Rio Cinema and other historic landmarks. Led by Anna Aslanyan, with support from Hackney Cycling Campaign, the tour will explore the colourful past of these places, look at their dynamic present and attempt to imagine their future. The route – a combination of cycle paths and local roads, mapped here – is suitable for competent cyclists aged 12 and over, who are expected to join on bikes. The event will end at Dalston Eastern Curve Garden.
Wed 27th May: 6:30 PM 380 Old Street EC1V 9LT Shoreditch Town Hall
Learn about how the use of the space developed over the years from a municipal building that opened in 1866, holding the inquest into the murder of Jack the Ripper’s last victim Mary Kelly in 1888, to becoming one of the East End's premiere boxing venues in the 60s, hosting colourful trance nights in the 1990s with the now infamous Whirl-Y-Gig, to the leading arts venue it is today with a programme of spectacular theatre, star-studded comedy, boisterous drag queens and more. You'll find out about the architecture and design of our building, and get the opportunity to see your favourite film and TV locations in the flesh - our spaces were recently featured in Baby Reindeer and A Quiet Place: Day One. Oh, and you might bump into a ghost in The Ditch.
Sat 30th May: 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM 34 Spring Ln, London E5 9HQ Leaside Open Day – Life on the Lea
Join us for a special open day at Leaside celebrating the stories, heritage and communities of the River Lea. In partnership with Life on the Lea, a project by Eastside Community Heritage and Loop Labs, this event will explore the social history of the river through photographs, oral histories and stories gathered from people who live and work along the Lea. Visitors will be able to enjoy canal boat trips or paddling journeys along the river, see archival images and hear first-hand accounts that capture everyday life on and around the waterway. Leaside will also be sharing stories from its own history – over 60 years of supporting young people and the wider community to canoe and kayak on the River Lea. Come along to discover the rich heritage of this unique urban waterway, meet the people who keep its stories alive, and experience the river from the water. This event is open to everyone and offers a welcoming opportunity to learn more about the past, present and future of the Lea. FREE. JUST TURN UP.
Sat 30th May: 2:00 PM 5 Sheep Ln, E8 4QS Hackney Depot Tour
A guided tour of Hackney Depot, on the upper floor of Ash Grove Bus Garage. Opened in 1981, it is a notable example of 1980s functionalist transport architecture, featuring a unique, expansive roof structure. See the old canteen, payroll offices and studios. Note ticket includes entry to the Go East Vintage Market which is also taking place at this time.
Sat 30th May: 2:00 PM Rio Dear Mr Manley
These words open hundreds of unearthed letters sent from the trenches of the First World War to Ralph Manley, the long-serving secretary of the Mildmay Radical Club, a fixture at the heart of Stoke Newington’s, and later Hackney’s, civic life. Carefully catalogued by the Club’s Archive Group of volunteer archivists, the letters offer a raw, emotional, and often humorous glimpse into the lives of some 500 members who went off to fight. But as the Archive Group delve deeper, a fascinating mystery about Mr Manley himself begins to emerge. Join the Mildmay’s sleuths as they piece together the complicated life of the man who kept the doors open, the beer flowing, and morale high while the Club’s members were fighting at the front. The screening will be followed by a Q and A with members of the production team. Tickets from the Rio.
Sun 31st May: 2:00 PM Rio Women from Hackney's History
A moving new film commissioned by the Hackney Society to bring to life eleven women from Hackney's past whose stories are featured in our Women from Hackney’s History, books 1 and 2. Hackney-based filmmaker Barney Snow, worked with Nina Sprigge, the Tower Theatre and editor Sue Doe and filmed in many Hackney locations. Premiering on International Women’s Day, the film spans nearly three centuries, from 1670 to the mid-20th century, celebrating pioneers, reformers and trailblazers who helped shape the borough, including Clara Ludski who founded the Rio cinema. This is a tribute to the women of Hackney’s past, connecting their legacy to the women of its present and future. Tickets from the Rio.
Sun 31st May: 2:00 PM St. Augustine's Tower, E8 1HT St Augustines Tower
Family activities at the St Augustine's Tower, Hackney's oldest building. FREE, JUST TURN UP
Sun 31st May: 12:00 PM Hoxton Hall, 130 Hoxton Street, N1 6SH Hoxton Halls May Day- Community party
Hoxton Halls Young leaders celebrate May Scott and her legacy of free community events, by throwing a party with exhibitions, oral histories and entertainment. Come and see how the future of Hoxton Hall can interact with its History with a mini festival celebrating Hoxton Halls long of community engagement and events. Curated by Hoxton Halls Young leaders’ group inspiration from the archive of May Scott and Chris Bowlers legacy of Garden Partys, exhibitions, bazaars, music and theatre this event looks to rediscover this for today. Held in Hoxton Hall, a grade 2* star listed 19th Century Music Hall. This event is open to all as part of Hoxton Halls Activate program. FREE