inside soho’s village fête
If you've ever wondered what happens when Soho throws a village fête, the answer is exactly what you'd expect from the neighbourhood.
There aren't many neighbourhoods where snail racing is taken seriously. Or where the local police and fire brigade face off in a tug of war. But then again, there aren't many neighbourhoods quite like Soho.
Every July, St Anne's Gardens becomes the backdrop to one of the neighbourhood's longest-standing traditions - a celebration that feels less like an event and more like a reunion for the people who call Soho home.
While today's fête is full of wonderfully unexpected moments, it began with a much more serious purpose.
The Soho Society, established in 1972 to protect the character of the neighbourhood, organised the first modern Village Fête in 1975 at a time when Soho was facing significant change. What started as a way of bringing the community together has become one of the neighbourhood's most anticipated annual traditions.
For more than five decades, generations of locals, businesses and visitors have returned each summer to celebrate the Soho that exists beyond the bright lights.
SOHO’S WAITERS’ RACE
One tradition, however, is older than the fête itself.
Long before today's crowds gathered in St Anne's Gardens, Soho's Waiters' Race had already earned its place in neighbourhood folklore. First held in the 1950s and inspired by Paris' famous café races, it challenged local waiters to sprint through Soho balancing a tray without spilling a drop. Nearly seventy competitors lined up for that first race, including staff from some of the area's best-known restaurants.
Today, the race begins outside The French House before weaving through Soho's streets, with crowds lining the route to cheer on friends, colleagues and local favourites. More than 70 years on, it's still one of the day's biggest draws.
If there was ever any doubt that Soho Village Fête is unlike any other, this year's edition quickly settled it.
The annual tug of war saw Soho Police claim victory over the Fire Brigade (twice), two four-legged champions proudly took home top honours in the dog show, the spaghetti eating competition returned in all its gloriously messy form and the famous Waiters' Race once again drew one of the biggest crowds of the afternoon. Even the snail racing had spectators leaning in as if the finish line couldn't come soon enough.
Soho changes constantly.
Restaurants come and go, new faces arrive and familiar shopfronts disappear. Yet every summer, for one Sunday afternoon, the neighbourhood pauses to celebrate the community that's kept its character alive for generations.
Some traditions don't need reinventing.