More than 40,000 people visited Brick Lane on Sunday 20 September 2026 for the Brick Lane Curry Festival, Tower Hamlets Council said, double the estimated 20,000 who came in 2025 when the festival returned after a nine-year break. The East London Post also reported the figure of 40,000.
The festival was organised by the council, the Bangla Town Business Association and Brick Lane Community Forum. Bookings were more than double the 2025 level and there were three times as many market stalls, the council said.
The essentials
- 2026 date: Sunday 20 September
- 2026 visitors: more than 40,000, according to Tower Hamlets Council
- 2025 visitors: about 20,000, with 2,500 more at the Town Hall the same weekend
- Organisers: Tower Hamlets Council, Bangla Town Business Association, Brick Lane Community Forum
What happened in 2026
The day began with a procession along Brick Lane with dancers, dhol drummers, Chinese lion dancers and three giant puppets made by the arts group Emergency Exit Arts. A new permanent stage hosted British-Bangladeshi acts Khiyo, Nish and Mumzy Stranger, alongside the Bollywood Brass Band and others. Each restaurant that took part cooked a signature dish for the day and offered visitors a 20 per cent discount.
“This year’s festival was a fantastic celebration of Brick Lane, Banglatown and the incredible curry houses that have made this area famous around the world,” said Guljar Khan, chairman of the Bangla Town Business Association.
Lutfur Rahman, executive mayor of Tower Hamlets, said: “The increase in demand for this year’s festival shows just how much people value this celebration of our shared heritage.”
The 2025 return
The festival had not been held since 2016 when the council and local traders revived it in September 2025. An estimated 20,000 people came to Brick Lane, and another 2,500 attended events at the new Tower Hamlets Town Hall in the former Royal London Hospital building on Whitechapel Road, bringing the weekend total above 22,500, according to the council. The 2025 programme included cooking demonstrations, henna, Bangla dance classes, heritage walks and discounted menus at curry houses.
