Crowds were kept well fed at the second Chatsworth Road Festival Pic: Dominic Rose

Over a 500 people and 25 of their canine companions attended the second annual Chatsworth Road Festival in Hackney at the weekend, aimed at celebrating the area’s diverse community.

The one-day event on Saturday, organised by the Chatsworth Road Traders’ & Residents’ Association, kicked off with a football match to raise money for the local Homerton Hospital, and featured live bands, a dog show, acrobatics, sumo wrestling, as well as street food.

Festival-goers were kept well watered with a bellini bar run by local vintage store, Frockney Rebel, and beers from local Beavertown Brewery.

Over 20 brave pooches entered the dog show Pic: Dominic Rose

One of the organisers, Allen Parker, said:”I was born and bred in Hackney and this festival very much represents everything I love about this community. The different generations and cultures, all coming together to create something positive, it makes me very proud to be from this area.

“I’m taken aback at how many people have turned up this year, the street is heaving. Just like it was in the 80’s when the festival first started.”

This year superseded expectations, with more guests than before and more businesses, community groups and residents involved than the previous year.

Chatsworth Road bucks the trend seen on most London high streets: it is made up primarily of independent shops and businesses rather than chains, and several new businesses have opened in the last few years.

Chatsworth Road Traders’ & Residents’ Association CIC is a not-for-profit organisation run entirely by volunteers. It aims to offer a voice to local traders and residents and to promoting Chatsworth Road as a vibrant high street, a safe and enjoyable public space and as the community hub for local residents.

The sumo wrestling went down well with younger festival-goers Pic: Dominic Rose