Southend City Day

Southend City Stage

Check out the list of performers below:

11am – 5:30pm | Hosts: Radio Essex’s Ross, John & Lauren
11:05am – 11:25am | Leigh Starlites Majorettes
11:40am – 12noon | Waterside Choir
12:15pm – 12:35pm | Buskerteers Choir
12:50pm – 1:10pm | Funky Voices
13:25pm – 1:45pm | All In Music at Southend YMCA
2pm – 2:25pm | Lokoj Bangla
2:40pm – 3pm | The Song School House Band
3:15pm – 3:45pm | Taylor del Mundo
4:00pm – 4:30pm | The Ondines
4:45pm – 5:15pm | Darren Jones & The World Music Band
5:15pm – 5:25pm | Speeches: Councillor Daniel Cowan & The Mayor of Southend on Sea, Councillor Nigel Folkard
5:30pm | Stage Closes

Disco City

Disco City celebrates Southend’s historic ballrooms, dance halls and nightclubs. A dazzling mirror ball light display, set against the backdrop of Southend’s world‑famous pier, kicks the party into gear from the moment you arrive. And with live DJs: Greg Barker and DJ DARYL EASLEA’S THE RECORD DEPARTMENT spinning timeless anthems and dropping a few playful surprises, the whole night will sparkle with feel‑good vibes at Pier Piazza.

Featuring an exclusive spoken word piece, What Southend Means To Me, produced especially for the event by Sonny Green as seen in London’s NYE 2025 Firework celebrations.

Pier Piazza:
6pm – 10:30pm / Disco City
5pm – 10:30pm / The Royal Hotel (Pop-Up) Bar
6pm – 8pm / DJ Greg Barker
8pm / What Southend Means To Me, by Sonny Green
Followed by / DJ DARYL EASLEA’S THE RECORD DEPARTMENT

Scribble Trees & Light Benches

From 11am to 10:30pm, Scribble Trees and Light‑Up Benches will bring a striking burst of colour and light to Royal Square. Wander through our mini light display, featuring past favourites like the glowing benches and the magical scribble trees – it’s the perfect spot to snap a few standout photos!

Southend City Jam

Street Art Walk-Up Workshop

Try your hand at street art at our pop‑up Southend City Jam walls under the railway bridge in the High Street – your moment to make a mark. Free to take part!

Knight Rider KITT Car

For a blast of nostalgia, the iconic Knight Rider KITT car will be parked on the High Street outside the Royals Shopping Centre for the ultimate photo op!

Classic Cars on the Beach

11am – 4pm

The ever popular Classic Cars are back at City Beach for Southend City Day, bringing laid-back vintage style to the seafront.

Brought to you by The Southend & District Classic Car Club.

The Victoria Centre

Make sure you stop by The Victoria Centre, where a vibrant mix of local community groups and businesses will be showcasing what they do through fun, hands‑on activities and interactive displays. You’ll also find a special taster area where visitors can try out musical instruments and get a feel for something new.

Check out the organisations and groups taking part below:

11am – 4:30pm

All In Music at Southend YMCA
Kultura Verse
Leigh Elim Church & Love Essex
Leigh Folk Arts Association
Lokoj Bangla
RSPB
Southend Fostering and Recruitment Team
Southend Music Services
Southend Street Pastors
St Vincent’s Centre Southend
The Sisterhood Networking Group
The Storehouse
Gold Geese

1:30pm – 2:10pm | Performance from Harmonise Choir

Southend Community Ambassadors

The Victoria Centre | 11am – 3pm

Our incredible Additional Needs Ambassadors will be supporting the event throughout the day – welcoming attendees, appearing on stage, helping with creative activities, and leading our community “We Love Southend” art board.

This is all about visibility, confidence, creativity and celebrating inclusivity in our amazing City together!

The Forum

Visit the Forum area for practical advice along with health and wellbeing information and activities throughout the day. 15 minute seated yoga sessions available on the hour between 12pm & 4pm.

Check out the organisations and groups taking part below:

11am – 4:30pm

Brook Southend
Carers First
Everyone Health
Home Instead
Lady McAdden
Southend City Council Public Health
Southend Supports Breastfeeding under SAVS
STARs
Yoga4all

Focal Point Gallery

Visit Focal Point Gallery for your last chance to see their current exhibition ‘S for Southend’ – a vibrant and diverse collection of works drawn from across the breadth of Focal Point Gallery’s Learning and Engagement Programme. This milestone exhibition brings together contributions from participants of all ages and backgrounds – spanning projects from Blank Slate, our youth-led programme, to Contemporary Elders, a collective of older adults redefining creative ageing.

And don’t miss Artist Lu Williams in conversation with Ellen Mara De Wachter – this special in-conversation between artist Lu Williams and art historian and journalist Ellen Mara De Wachter is an opportunity to gain insight into the making of Souvenirs & Suburbia. 

The Royals Shopping Centre

The Royals Shopping Centre will be buzzing with community groups and local businesses offering
a range of hands‑on activities for all ages. You can also enjoy live musical performances and keep an eye out for a special appearance from Captain Jack Sparrow….

Check out the organisations and groups taking part below:

11am – 4:30pm

Aspirations Day Programme
Havens Hospices
SAVS
Southend Boys’ & Girls’ Choirs
Southend Drama Society
Southend Theatres
The One Love Project
Trust Links
Unidos Podemos Màs
Vibe Southend Limited

Performances from The Music Man Project, Southend Boys’ & Girls’ Choirs & Southend Operatic and Dramatic Society

Don’t miss the finals of Southend City Day Portrait Competition

Roaming performances

As you make your way along the High Street, you’ll be greeted by roaming performers bringing bursts of energy and entertainment. You might even find yourself swept up in a surprise flashmob.

1:30pm – 3pm | Outside H&M | The Southend Band

2pm – 3pm | Outside M&S | Performance from St Vincent’s Centre House Band

11am – 1pm & 4:30pm – 5pm | Up & Down the High Street | Brazilarte

 

Southend Museums

Southend Museums are incredibly excited to be launching the new ‘Southend Museums Collections Centre’, with a series of free tours as part of this year’s Southend City Day.

Southend Museums Collections Centre (SMCC) will officially open to the public for the first time on March 7th 2026. Located on the 2nd floor of the Beecroft Art Gallery building, SMCC offers the community special, previously impossible access to the entire archaeology and social history collections, and a behind-the-scenes look into museum curation, conservation and research work.

Tickets are free, but prebooking is essential for the City Day tours as they will book up very quickly.

Find out more here.

Wider Area

This year, as well as events in Southend city centre, events will be taking place right across our city, from Leigh-on-sea to Shoeburyness.

Leigh-on-sea | Visit Leigh Community Centre for a Silent Disco, an interactive storytelling session and fascinating talks on the history of Leigh and the fishing industry in Leigh.

Westcliff | The Haven Community Hub will be capturing people’s memories of Westcliff and Southend and hosting a photo exhibition. There will be live music performances, art activities and information stalls promoting local organisations and support groups.

Southchurch | Take part in Happy Holi in Southchurch Hall Gardens. A celebration of good over evil and the beginning of Spring. A festival of colour.

Shoeburyness | The Cart and Wagon Shed have an art competition for under 16s, a planting competition with the chance to see your design in the garden area, a walking tour of the Garrison historical buildings, magical entertainment and information stalls showcasing local services and activities.