Although the weather wasn't exactly kind, the Archway Festival on Saturday 18 June gave locals an opportunity to forget the grey skies. This year's festival had two venues - inside and out - Hargrave Hall and Hargrave Road, which was specially closed for the occasion, to link up with Archway Market on Holloway Road. There was a wide range of activities to appeal to people of all ages: stalls, live music, children's face-painting, ceramic painting, hula hooping and dance demos followed by taster sessions. Local favourites Swing Patrol who wowed the crowd at last year's festival, made a welcome reappearance.

This year's new attractions included a fire engine (with real live firemen), an Arsenal penalty shoot-out and a bouncy castle, and creative activities from a host of providers including Archway With Words and the local library. All this plus information stalls and our usual great local market. There was a particularly magic moment when the firemen took up hula hooping - a great photo opportunity for anyone who caught it!

The festival took place thanks to the sponsorship of Essential Living and support from the Local Initiatives Fund.

(Photography: Yip Chan)