Walking into one of the arguably most anticipated festivals of the summer, Body Movements embraced its attendees with open arms and gorgeous weather. The sun was shining while a late summer breeze gave guests a sense of reprieve from the otherwise (would’ve been) overly intense heat. Southwark park is a stunning location for a festival of this kind, one because it is very easy to get to once you’ve exited the tube, and two because entry is simple and efficient. Not to mention, the tree coverage becomes the saving grace of one of the biggest hurdles of summertime festivals – avoiding a weekend ruining sunburn.
Upon entry, festival goers were already wildly active. We entered around noon and the grounds were surprisingly busy – the energy buzzing immediately. With a lineup like this year, it would be really difficult to end up at a set and have a bad time. So for many it seemed they were happy to pop around between stages and just see what grabbed their attention. This said, there were some especially noteworthy performances that really sealed the deal, ie. sign up to a ticket link for next year’s edition (which went out literal days after the festival ended). FAFF took the Hot Mess stage and did not disappoint, their high energy mixes kept the crowd moving. Walking into the tent felt otherworldly amidst the dust of the dry festival grounds. The air was thick with it – the booming bass disrupting it even further into the air. But nobody seemed to care, guests were locked in with the DJs, dusty shoes kicking while lagers and white claws raised to the sky.
It was hard not to spend a good deal of time at The Strap stage, guests were entertained with a huge array of genre and song choices. Meanwhile gogo dancers and other performers walked the top of the platform, flirting with audience members as we clicked, clapped, and “woooo’d” them on. PXSSY PALACE took over for what felt like one of the best sets of the whole day and attendees were dancing on every possible platform. The festival, though well-attended and busy, never felt especially chaotic or messy. Despite the classic queue waits at bars and loos, it was more manageable than one might expect. Headed to the Mother stage in between water breaks and a quick shot of tequila, we were off to see another highlight of the day, Miss Bashful x DBBD. Now this was a set to remember, dare we say mother really showed out at the Mother stage. The crowd was bouncing in near unison as we sang along to some of her highest energy hits. All the while she kept us mesmerised, adorned in a black corset with bouncy micro-tutu detail.
Another highlight this year was the Mooch area of the festival grounds, where various stalls could be found hosted by queer creators and businesses. Vendors offered micro leather bikini tops and skirts by Miss Thing, all the way to tattoo services, and latex wears. We enjoyed walking around and having a little chat with some of the stall hosts – giving a more well-rounded picture of the festival experience. This section was a nice way of including guests of all drinking preferences as well – in addition to multiple other hangout spaces and activities away from the bars. Body Movements nicely caters to various lifestyles and creates space for those who love a good dance, sans the alcohol. That said, bar offerings were pretty solid with seltzers all the way to cocktails, beer, and whole bottles of wine. Food stall offerings were also varied with different options that would suit various diets regardless of dietary needs or preference.
Despite the fact that this festival feels more and more comprehensive each year, there’s something uniquely (charmingly) DIY about it. It could be the way that guests walk in wearing all kinds of ensembles from casual black tank tops and cut off denim shorts, to chainmail headpieces, feathered wings, glitter in more places than you can count, and makeup done up beyond comparison. This festival is a portal into a queer utopia for a day and the Body Movers who run this festival are encouraging you to come along. Beckon you toward the festival entry, regardless of who you are, you know you’ll be accepted and have a fabulous time. The founders of this festival, their many partnering businesses, and collaborative community members have successfully created a space where guests are encouraged to wear what makes them comfortable, and feel flirty and fun while doing it. This year’s festival, start to finish, has solidified its position as one of the best in the city, and we can bet we will see you there next year (we’ll certainly be in attendance at least).
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Words: Lauren Bulla
Photographer: Imogen