The Specials singer Neville Staple will headline Bermondsey Carnival this year – six years after last appearing at the legendary festival.
Staple played on and off with the world-famous Ska troupe from 1978 to 2012, performing lead and backing vocals.
He appeared on stage at the Southwark Park carnival in 2019 where he had crowds grooving to classics like ‘Ghost Town’.
Carnival organiser Russell Dryden said: “He came and played with our local band Indica in 2019 and he really loved it.
“This time he’s coming with a full band and they’ll play all the hits from The Specials and a lot of old ska classics.”
The line-up will also feature a host of local bands – plus music from the Middle East and a musician playing the West African kora.
The festival was cancelled last year due to a lack of funds after Southwark Council slashed funding from £80,000 to £10,000.
Century old Bermondsey Carnival set to return after dance music festival agrees to lend it stages
Although it is only receiving £10,000 funding again, the carnival is going ahead after event groups Assemble GALA kindly agreed to lend its equipment to Bermondsey Carnival.
Russell wanted to thank the “tremendous support” shown by the carnivals partners – including Rotherhithe Consolidated Charities, Blue Bermondsey BID, Southwark Council, Greystar, British Land, GALA, and ArtInvest.
Bermondsey Carnival’s history stretches back to 1900, during the second Boer War, when the Daily Telegraph launched a charitable fund to support the wives and orphans of soldiers killed in battle.
Bermondsey Carnival will take place at Southwark Park on Sunday, August 6, from 12pm to 8pm.