Victoria was the host of two festivals this weekend, the first one was iconic Field Day and the second was brand new gay festival As One In The Park. Presented by Orange Nation As One is the biggest gay festival to take place in London for over a decade. With a huge selection of activities including cabaret, markets and of course dance, the festival was also host of some big names such as Rita Ora, Union J and Roger Sanchez.
We were delighted when we got to Victoria Park and the sun was shining indeed a festival is always best enjoyed when the weather gods are kind. Arriving on site we saw an array of colourful festivalgoers and it being a gay festival we expected flamboyance and we weren’t disappointed.
Music wise we spent most of the day by the main stage enjoying pop music. Apart from Antix who decided to sing over pop tracks the line up was pretty solid with vibrant performances from artists such as Conor Maynard, boy band Union J and Katy B. Celebrity Big Brother winner and X Factor contestant Rylan got on stage early afternoon and in his eccentric ways made for a great performance. We loved his take on the Spice Girls’ classics and his own version of Gangnam Style. We loved seeing Union J showcase their new single, the band who is set for great things this year was tight on stage and even though we missed the boy band classic dance moves we really enjoyed the boys’ performance.
Highlights of the day included Conor Maynard’s set, which was filled with hits such as Can’t Say No, Animal and chart favourite Turn Around. We loved the energy that came off the stage and Katy B only carried on spreading the love. The dance artist with the most casual stage presence was in top form singing some of her hits such as Katy On A Mission, Lights On but also but also new tracks and even some Aaliyah covers. Rita Ora was the star of the night with her headline set but the party carried on in the dance area. This being a gay festival it was filled with great dance stages and these were packed with dance lovers.
The day was filled with surprises too with Helen Mirren introducing the Batela Drummers. Gok Wan was also to be seen in the VIP area and apparently Katy Price was having a party of her own at the festival.
For its first year As One In The Park hosted quite a few good performances and the gay community was out to enjoy it all.
