All Points East at Victoria Park: a festival day bringing together Jorja Smith, Tems and a new generation of R&B, afrobeats and jungle
All Points East returns to London's Victoria Park with a format that differs from the classic multi-day festival where one ticket opens up the entire weekend. Each major concert day has its own identity, separate line-up and its own ticket, and on 21 August 2026 the programme is headlined by Jorja Smith and Tems. Behind them comes a broad cross-section of contemporary R&B, afrobeats, jungle, garage, soul and club music.
It is precisely the combination of the two headliners that is interesting: Jorja Smith represents the British R&B and soul strand that in recent years has increasingly opened up to house and dance production, while Tems connects R&B with afrobeats and an African pop scene that has long since grown beyond regional boundaries. Their shared festival day is not made up only of a few major names before the closing performance, but of a programme that stretches across several stages and includes artists with very different profiles.
Tickets for this event are in demand.
Jorja Smith takes the stage on the same day her new album is released
For Jorja Smith, the All Points East date carries additional significance. Her third studio album What Are The Odds has been announced for 21 August 2026, which means that her festival performance at Victoria Park will fall on the day the new release comes out.
The album contains 12 tracks and was produced by her frequent collaborator P2J. Among the songs presented in advance is Alive with Wizkid, while Devlin also appears on the album. The direction of the project builds on the more dance-oriented side of her sound, which was already evident on songs such as Little Things, but without abandoning the R&B and soul foundations for which Smith has been recognisable since her breakthrough with Blue Lights.
That also changes the context of the festival performance. The audience is not coming only to hear the catalogue of an artist who already has Lost & Found and Falling or Flying behind her, but Jorja Smith at the moment of opening a new chapter in her career. How much new material will be included in the festival set should not be assumed in advance, but the date itself makes this performance particularly timely.
Tems, on the other hand, arrives as an artist whose path from the EP For Broken Ears and her global breakthrough through Essence with Wizkid has led to the status of one of the most internationally recognisable Nigerian musicians. The 2024 album Born in the Wild further expanded her space between afrobeats, R&B, soul and pop, while Love Me JeJe earned her a Grammy for Best African Music Performance. In 2026, her collaboration with Dave on Raindance also reached number one on the UK singles chart.
The shared top of the bill therefore feels logical, but not uniform. Jorja Smith and Tems share an affinity for powerful vocals, atmospheric production and R&B, yet their musical paths connect different scenes - British soul, garage and dance on one side, and Lagos, afrobeats and global afro-pop on the other.
The line-up goes far beyond the two headliners
Behind Jorja Smith and Tems is one of those festival programmes where it makes sense to arrive early and move between stages. Among the prominent names are Nia Archives, kwn, Ayra Starr, Odeal and Destin Conrad, alongside a special joint performance by Elmiene & The Sunday Service Choir.
Nia Archives shows particularly well how far the programme moves beyond the boundaries of a classic R&B festival. The British producer and performer built her identity around jungle, breakbeat and pop melodicism. After the 2024 album Silence Is Loud, her second album Emotional Junglist from 2026 further combined fast jungle rhythms with indie pop and an R&B sensibility. Jorja Smith also appears on it, giving her presence on the same festival day an additional connection.
Ayra Starr arrives at Victoria Park immediately after the release of the album Starrgirl, published on 14 August 2026. The album has 16 tracks and moves between afrobeats, R&B, pop and dance production, with guest appearances from artists such as Wizkid, Rema, ZAYN and kwn. Several artists who also meet on current releases will therefore appear within the same festival programme.
The line-up additionally includes Uncle Waffles, DJ EZ, Maverick Sabre, Katy B, Wesley Joseph, Sekou, Bellah, Bricknasty, Crazy Cousinz, Keyrah, Common Saints, Demae, Konyikeh, Kels, Mychelle, Olympia Vitalis, Shivani Day, Jael, Tyler Lewis and XO.
A special part of the programme is the Shy FX x Stage takeover. Breakage with MC GQ, Champion, ENNY, Femi Koleoso, Rage, Saint Ludo and Shy FX have been announced there. This segment introduces a clear connection with the British bass, jungle, drum'n'bass and soundsystem tradition and further distinguishes this All Points East day from a line-up that could be reduced simply to contemporary R&B.
Detailed set times are available through the festival app. It is worth checking them again immediately before arrival because the organiser warns that performance times may change and that the published schedule serves as a guide.
Victoria Park is not just a backdrop
All Points East takes place in Victoria Park in Tower Hamlets, east London. The park opened in 1845 and covers 86 hectares, making it the largest park in that London borough. Its open grassy area allows several festival stages and zones to be arranged without the feeling of a classic stadium concert.
That is an important part of the character of All Points East. The festival takes place in the middle of the city, but once inside, the audience gets the experience of a large open-air music space. The Main, or East Stage, forms the main centre of the programme, while the festival infrastructure also lists North and West Stage zones as well as special programme spaces such as the Shy FX x Stage.
At the same time, All Points East is not an isolated series of paid concerts. Between the main festival weekends, Victoria Park becomes the setting for the In The Neighbourhood programme from 24 to 27 August. For 2026, four free programme sections have been announced featuring music, DJ programming, cinema, theatre, sport, fitness and food and drink offerings. This combination of major concert days and an open programme between them is one of the elements that distinguishes All Points East from a classic festival weekend.
Places are disappearing quickly.
What is the difference between ticket types
For the Jorja Smith + Tems day, there are different admission models and festival zones. General Admission represents standard standing entry to the main festival area. Primary Entry is intended for visitors who want earlier and faster admission, while VIP Garden adds a separate area beside the East Stage with additional seating space, a bar, food offerings and enhanced facilities. VIP Garden + VIP Pit also includes access to a special standing area beside the main stage.
All Points East is essentially a standing-only festival. For visitors with accessibility needs, specially reserved Viewing Platform and Ground Level Viewing Area options are available, as well as access to the corresponding zones at the North and West Stage. Such tickets need to be arranged in advance because access to these areas cannot simply be added on the day of the event if capacities are full.
For a visitor buying a ticket only for 21 August, it is important to understand that it belongs specifically to that festival day. The other major All Points East programmes in 2026 have their own tickets and separate artist line-ups.
Getting there, entrances and rules to know before travelling
For Jorja Smith + Tems, standard entrances open at 14:30. Visitors with Primary Entry, VIP Garden and VIP Garden + VIP Pit options can enter approximately 30 minutes earlier, from 14:00. Final entry for the festival programmes is at 20:30, so arriving late is not a good strategy.
The age restriction for this festival day is 14+. Visitors aged 14 to 17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian over the age of 18.
There is no re-entry to the festival site after entering. If a visitor leaves, they cannot return later with the same ticket. For that reason, before passing through security it makes sense to check that a phone, necessary documents, medication and other items needed for the rest of the day are at hand.
Practical rules for this festival day include:
- A maximum of one bag per person is permitted, up to approximately A4 size, 297 x 210 x 210 mm.
- Visitors and bags undergo security checks on entry.
- Food and drink may not be brought in, with the exception of an empty reusable bottle or an unopened plastic container of water up to 500 ml.
- Chairs, folding chairs and similar portable seating are not permitted in the festival area.
- There is no re-entry to the event after entering.
- For the Jorja Smith + Tems day, the age restriction is 14+, with mandatory adult accompaniment for visitors aged 14 to 17.
There are catering areas on site offering food, non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks. For people with allergies or special dietary requirements, the First Aid & Welfare location is useful, where staff can help with information about the available options.
Public transport is a simpler choice than driving
Victoria Park is located on Grove Road in east London. For a major festival day, public transport has a clear advantage because there is no general visitor parking at the event itself or immediately around the park.
The recommended Underground stations are Mile End, on the Central, District and Hammersmith & City lines, and Bethnal Green on the Central line. Both are approximately a 10 to 15-minute walk from the festival site. Cambridge Heath and Bethnal Green railway stations are also nearby, and several bus routes run alongside the park.
Because the concert takes place on a Friday, the Central line has Night Tube service on the night from Friday to Saturday. The District and Hammersmith & City lines do not have night service, so visitors travelling onward through London after the event should check their combination of lines in advance.
A bicycle area has also been organised in Victoria Park, but bicycles, scooters, skateboards and similar means of transport cannot be brought into the festival site itself. For taxis and private hire vehicles, a pick-up zone is provided outside the road closures, approximately 500 metres from the exit.
After a major concert ends, expect an increased number of people heading towards the same stations at the same time. Planning the return journey before the final performance can save a lot of improvisation at the end of the evening.
What to expect if you are visiting All Points East for the first time
The best way to think about All Points East is not as a single festival with an identical musical profile throughout its entire run. Each headline day operates almost like an independent one-day festival. The Jorja Smith + Tems programme is clearly oriented towards contemporary R&B, soul and afrobeats, but Nia Archives, DJ EZ, Shy FX, Breakage and other artists expand it towards jungle, garage, bass and club music.
That means the audience will not necessarily have the same musical priority. Someone may come primarily for Tems and Ayra Starr, someone for Jorja Smith and British R&B, while someone else will spend a large part of the day at the Shy FX x Stage. Moving between these zones is precisely an important part of the experience, especially before the evening performances by the biggest names.
For a first visit, the most practical approach is to open the festival map and schedule before entering, mark a few priorities and leave enough time between performances to move from one stage to another. Victoria Park is a large open space, and the audience concentrates around different zones throughout the day.
It is worth securing tickets in time.
All Points East 2026 continues after the Jorja Smith + Tems programme. The following day, the main evening is headlined by Lorde, followed by Outbreak Fest with Deftones, while the final weekend brings two performances by Tyler, The Creator as well as Twenty One Pilots. Between these concert blocks, In The Neighbourhood opens part of Victoria Park with free activities for all age groups.
For 21 August, however, the most important thing is the combination of artists itself: Jorja Smith on the day her new album is released, Tems at a time when her blend of afrobeats and R&B has reached a global audience, Ayra Starr just one week after a new album, and Nia Archives with the current Emotional Junglist. Add British garage and jungle names to that, and this festival day takes on a profile that is difficult to confuse with any other date in the programme.
Sources:
- All Points East - Jorja Smith + Tems event page, confirmed line-up, ticket types and festival zones
- All Points East FAQ - entrance opening times, age restriction, re-entry rules, bags, food and drink
- All Points East Travel Info - public transport, stations, bicycles, taxi zone and parking information
- All Points East Accessibility - accessibility zones, Viewing Platform, Ground Level Viewing Area and standing-only format
- Tower Hamlets Council - information about Victoria Park, location, size, history and access
- Tower Hamlets Council - In The Neighbourhood 2026 programme and context of other All Points East days
- Pitchfork - announcement of Jorja Smith's album What Are The Odds and release date
- Vogue - current profile of Tems, Born in the Wild, awards, collaborations and All Points East performance
- Apple Music - Ayra Starr's album Starrgirl, release date, number of tracks and collaborators
- The Guardian - Nia Archives, the album Emotional Junglist and current musical direction