The History of Ealing Summer Festivals

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Years of Ealing Jazz

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Years of Ealing Blues

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Years of Ealing Comedy

About ESF

The Ealing Summer Festivals are Ealing Council’s flagship series of events, with roots set deep in the borough’s rich musical and comedic history. With some of Ealing’s most magnificent parks providing the backdrop, these events bring people together in a collective appreciation of exceptional local and international talent across of range of artistic disciplines.

Events in the Ealing Summer Festival Calendar normally include Greenford Carnival, CAMRA’s Ealing Beer Festival, Acton Carnival, Ealing Comedy Festival, Ealing Blues Festival and Ealing Jazz Festival.

In 2021 Ealing Fringe brought a variety of performances to life throughout the borough and this year we are excited to introduce a youth led event named New Gen Festival.

Confirmed Events and Dates for 2022

Over the years these events have welcomed a host of huge names from the worlds of music and comedy, including Jimmy Carr, Sean Lock, Jo Brand, Bill Bailey, Alan Davies, Sarah Millican, Nick Lowe, Cymande, Roy Ayers, Stephen K. Amos, Nina Conti, The Animals, Sandi Thom, Johnny Vegas, and Shappi Korsandi.

Ealing Blues & the ealing Club.

On May 15, 2022 the founder of Ealing Blues Festival, Robert Salmons, who performs under the name Robert Hokum, has been honoured with a UK Blues Award for his work in promoting live music and Ealing’s music heritage.

Presenting the Award, Singer & Radio host Paul Jones said: “The UK Blues Federation Unsung Hero award goes to someone who has worked tirelessly to promote, encourage and nurture blues musicians over a long period. He is a man who started the Ealing Blues Festival and co-founded the Ealing Blues Club Community Interest Company. He’s a tireless promoter of the west London blues scene.”

Accepting his award, guitar-player Robert told the audience: “I don’t think the artistic elite in this country takes seriously enough the cultural contribution of British blues to world culture. This is an important but undervalued scene. I’m very honoured to be the first recipient of the Unsung Hero Award from the UK Blues Federation. This shows the blues community’s appreciation of The Ealing Blues Festival being London’s longest-running blues Festival and the importance of Ealing’s musical heritage as featured in the film Suburban Steps to Rockland and the new book Rock’s Diamond Year.”

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In 1987 Robert started the Ealing Blues Festival as a free event in Walpole Park. It has grown to be one of the most established blues festivals in the UK and is now London’s longest-running Blues Festival.
Robert Salmon’s award was presented on the same day as the launch of the book Rock’s Diamond Year which features a chapter on his adolescence during Ealing’s musical heyday,
He’ll be performing as Robert Hokum with The Great West Groove Big Band at the two-day Ealing Blues Festival on Sunday 24 July, so please do come along and support this long time supporter of Ealing.

Suburban Steps To Rockland – The Story of The Ealing Club screens at prime-time TV on Wednesday 25th May 2022 9.00 pm – 11.00 pm.

Sky Arts – Channel 11.

There is another Cinema screening at Waterman’s Arts Centre on 12th June that includes a Q & A with UK Blues Award winner Robert Salmons & the Ealing Club team.

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