More than 16,000 people turned out for the annual Queen’s Park Day on Sunday (16/09).

The event combined traditional village fete events like cake baking, an edible animal competition and donkey rides with twenty-first-century music-making, a fun fair and street-food.

There were over a hundred individual stalls offering an A to Z of tempting items, promoting local community causes and spreading the word about local events.

Revellers were invited to learn how to box, find out about bee keeping and martial arts and there were dog shows, birds of prey and gymnastics displays too. Local community groups and children performed on the community stage.

On the bandstand the crowds were entertained by a drum group, a steel orchestra, a theatre group and Polish Dancers.

Queen’s Park Day is run by volunteers from the Queen’s Park Area Residents’ Association and supported by the City of London Corporation and its staff, which manages the Green Flag Award winning park.

Karina Dostalova, Chairman of the City Corporation’s Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park Committee, said:

“A lot of time and effort goes into making this event a success, and a success it was.

“I would like to pay tribute to the Queen’s Park Residents' Association to for making it happen.

“Everyone that came, young and old, thoroughly enjoy it and we look forward to next year’s Queen's Park Day.”

Virginia Brand, Chairman of the Queen’s Park Residents’ Association, said:

“The Queen’s Park Day is always a huge hit with residents and visitors and this year was no exception.

“There was something for everyone to enjoy throughout the day.

“The annual event would not be what it is without the help and support of the residents, community, volunteers and the Queen’s Park Residents' Association. My thanks go to all for making it a triumph.”

Queen's Park is a 12-hectare park in the London Borough of Brent managed by the City of London Corporation. It has been open to the public since 1887.

Facilities include six all-weather tennis courts, a pitch and putt course, an ornamental garden, a children's playground with paddling pool, a small zoo and a café.

The City of London Corporation manages 18 major green spaces in London and south east England, including Queen’s Park, Epping Forest, Hampstead Heath, and over 200 smaller ones in the Square Mile.

They include important wildlife habitats, sites of scientific interest and national nature reserves and they are protected from being built on by special legislation.

These green spaces, most of which are charitable trusts, are funded by over £28million a year from the City Corporation, and are run at little or no cost to the communities that they serve.