Soho House Festival is back with a bang – here’s what went down on the first day
The ‘fits, the vibes, the flavours, the acts – catch a glimpse of the first Soho House Festival after a two-year hiatus, in partnership with YouTube and supporting The Jamal Edwards Self Belief Trust
Friday 8 July 2022 By Anastasiia Fedorova Photography by Madison Phipps
Summer 2022 has been a special one so far – for all the things we’ve missed and get to enjoy again. And Soho House Festival is high up on that list. It’s always been a Thursday to remember (and recover from, for several days), and we’re finally back, once again with the support of YouTube. Yesterday, we spent a whole day in Gunnersbury Park – and believe us, this idyllic corner of west London has never seen a party like it.
Framed by lush trees, these fields are usually reserved for weekend strolls and dog walks, but Soho House Festival brought a very different energy: indulgent, wild, optimistic, soulful, and endlessly hungry for more. More than 6,000 guests attended on the first day, and seeing everyone together was electrifying.
We roamed around the fields, a cold glass of Lady A rosé in hand, ate an obscene amount of grilled lobster, and hugged the stage to listen to this summer’s hottest acts: Sports Team, Wet Leg, Becky Hill, Self Esteem, Lola Young, Primal Scream, and more, plus legendary DJs Fatboy Slim and Trevor Nelson. But it’s being around members and guests that truly makes the festival. Let us take you through a little vibe check (and if the FOMO gets too much, you can still get your hands on a ticket for Saturday).
If you’re like us, you probably spent a little bit too much time by the Wright Brothers tent consuming Jersey Rock Oysters and drinking non-alcoholic spritzes. But however hyper-focused you are in your tastes for food and entertainment, it’s not hard to find the vibe at House Festival – the vibe finds you. The air sizzled with barbecue scents (lobster, trout, tiger prawns, squid and smoked brisket, yes please) and conversations around the busy Tigre Tacos stand (with first-timers and House Festival regulars alike), plus guests lounged in the large chill tents with ice-cold Patrón Palomas and moreish Coconut Highballs to cool down.
Food and drink aside, there is more to festivals than just those great pleasures – we’re here for the music as much as a chance to leave mundane reality behind. Every act in the line-up had their own way to take you on this journey: from Wet Leg’s alt kind of hot girl summer to Sports Team’s ‘loud ride on the M5’ to artful audio-visual mashups by Fatboy Slim. It was the place to be last night.
Fun is fun, but every edition of Soho House Festival also helps us to contribute to an important cause. This year, we’ve partnered with The Jamal Edwards Self Belief Trust in memory of Jamal, a beloved and much-missed member of the Soho House family. The Self Belief Trust focuses on combatting homelessness, supporting people with mental health issues and providing young people with essential life skills. Extra gratitude to those who popped by the Self Belief Trust tent (and donated to the roaming fundraisers for Cook For Ukraine handing out blue and yellow meringues) – and still remembering what matters, four drinks in.
So, can you have too much of a good thing? After the first day at Soho House Festival 2022, I can certainly say that’s not the case. Book your ticket for Saturday. Dedicated to Jamal, it’s going to be a special one.
Book your tickets for Saturday here
Stay tuned for news on our screening of Jamal’s House Festival highlights show
