Gunnersbury Park Prepares to Mark its 100th Birthday
All invited to a free community event with music and family activities
Picture: Gunnersbury Park and Museum
May 7, 2026
Gunnersbury Park will celebrate its 100th birthday later this month with a free community party bringing together music, dance, family activities and a chance to explore the park’s rich history.
The celebration takes place on Bank Holiday Monday, 25 May, from 11am to 4pm, and forms part of a year-long programme marking a century since the park was officially opened by Neville Chamberlain on 21 May 1926. The centenary events are being led by Gunnersbury Museum and Park Development Trust, with the Party in the Park acting as the flagship community gathering.
Visitors can expect a lively programme of entertainment, including dance workshops led by Swingland Jazz, with sessions in the Charleston and Lindy Hop, and live bands performing music from the 1920s through to the present day. Traditional outdoor games such as hopscotch and quoits will be available for all ages, and more than 30 stalls will showcase local artists, makers, charities and community groups.
At the heart of the celebration will be the Gunnersbury Community Picnic Blanket, a 100-square-metre patchwork quilt created by residents, community organisations and volunteers. Groups including Southall Black Sisters, Himawari and Trinjan have contributed squares, alongside museum staff and local families.
Visitors are encouraged to bring a picnic and gather on the blanket during the festivities. Community Sewing Sessions are taking place at the museum on Friday 8 May and Sunday 10 May, with no sewing experience required. Refreshments will be available and vintage films will play throughout the sessions.
For those keen to delve into the park’s past, the museum will offer guided tours, including access to its historic kitchens, and a guided walk exploring more than 100 years of landscape and garden design.
Victoria Barlow, Gunnersbury’s Head of Museum Services, said the centenary offered a unique moment to reflect on the park’s evolution.
“This is a very exciting year for Gunnersbury Park and we are delighted to showcase the history of the park both in the Museum and in our upcoming outdoor exhibition,” she said. “Gunnersbury Park has always been a park for people, and we’re so excited to share some of the stories of the people who created, cared for and used this amazing local resource.”
Neville Chamberlain opening Gunnersbury Park in 1926. Picture: Ealing Council
The centenary programme is already underway. Gunnersbury Unlocked, the first of two major exhibitions, runs at the museum until the end of the year. It traces the park’s journey from a Rothschild family estate to a public park, including its role during the Second World War.
A second exhibition opens on 4 July: an outdoor photographic display lining up historic images from the last century with present-day views of the park. Inside the museum, the Young Curators group will develop a complementary photography exhibition.
Families visiting during May half-term can also enjoy a “toys and games trail”, featuring playthings from across the last 100 years.
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