For me, Waterworks marks the last of the summer festivals. By mid September when the event takes place, the temperature has usually dropped below 18 degrees and there’s that familiar, distinct feeling that Winter is looming. It’s your last chance to properly send it and most of your friends will probably buy a ticket last minute thanks to the acute fear of FOMO. But is it worth it and should you go?

At London day festivals there’s often an enormous amount of pressure to have a good time, and it’s easy to end up having a pretty average time (I know I sound like a boring bastard, but let me explain). You know you’ll spend a decent amount of money, you probably have a long way to travel and loads of people to organise – which means it needs to be worth it. Sometimes, there can be so much build up and the days over before you know it. For me, a day festival in the city has to be a triple threat in order to feel worth it, which means: a great line up, a sound system that is up to scratch, and a welcoming and fun crowd to match.

Honestly, it shocks me that some day festivals manage to only achieve 1 out of 3 of those, but Waterworks definitely hits the trifecta. This year, the sound was crisp, clear and most importantly, loud (I’m glad I packed my Loop earplugs, as security was even handing it out to people at the barriers). The crowd was fun and dressed in casually playful fits, but also pretty chilled – i.e. no one was taking themselves too seriously. One of the main reasons I returned to Waterworks this year was the fact that when I visited in 2023, there was no weird lull in energy at any of the stages we visited, people were visibly having a really good time. The good vibes were palpable (on par with Peckham’s Gala Festival), and you couldn’t hear your mate’s mindless chatter over the music, like at a lot of outdoor and indoor venues in the city, which often suffer from noise restrictions due to local residents.

It also helps that the team is committed to curating a line up that is comprehensive. Hosted in Gunnersbury Park with seven stages, this year’s programme included 70+ artists, including Ross From Friends, Moxie, Midland, Kode 9 and Shanti Celeste. Standouts included Ryan Elliott b2b Orgazón at the Orbit stage, who dropped You’re So Just Just by Rework; a pulsing 2002 track with husky vocals that has been making the rounds again (it was also played by Sonja Moonear at Houghton in August). Elsewhere, Pangaea of Pearson Sound played b2b with London-based DJ and producer Amaliah at the Hi-Hat stage, delivering a club-like scene in the festival’s darkest tent, which quickly turned into a black hole of debauchery.

But the Pressure stage was where we settled in for the evening. We arrived to the sounds of one of the world’s most versatile DJs Craig Richards b2b with the enigmatic Nicolas Lutz, who captivated us early on with a drawn out, immersive set. Then came British producers Batu b2b Leon Vynehall who dropped punchy, tribal beats and soulful vocals, closing with 90s dance track Deeper by Serious Danger. By 9:30pm, we were certain the music was too good to possibly walk away from, so we ignored texts from our mates who were trying to find us and stayed until closing as the highly anticipated Berghain resident and techno DJ Marcel Dettmann appeared. (In order to properly enjoy yourself at a day festival, it is best to avoid large groups, no matter how much you rate the people in them). Soon, people were climbing on shoulders, hoisting themselves up the stage’s light frames and whipping shirts over their heads, as red and white strobes pulsed to floor filling, fast-paced tracks like “In The Groove” by DJ Babatr, lighting up the wide-eyed, elated faces of the crowd.

Waterworks’s fourth edition really was a credit to the event organisers, who clearly know what it takes to please a festival crowd when so many continue to just miss the mark. Next year, I strongly recommend you shake off the looming autumnal blues and grab your last chance to soak up the end of summer in Gunnersbury Park with both hands. Just remember to leave your ego and uncompromising, jam-packed plan of who you want to see at the door, it’s always better to just go with the flow.

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