Summer events planned at Barnet playing fields at Underhill include a circus and music and community festivals   

Zippos Circus will be at Barnet playing fields for five days in mid-May – one of several attractions to be staged this summer at a much-prized open space where Barnet Football Club has applied to build a new stadium.

Organisers who have previously presented music and community festivals at other nearby sites such as Trent Park and Oak Hill Park, are switching to the playing fields at Underhill because of what they say is excellent access to public transport.

Other events already being advertised at the playing fields for later in the summer are the Eagle Festival of music over the weekend of June 21-22; the Ghana Party in the Park festival and the Mauritius open air festival which will be staged separately on the Saturday and Sunday of July 12 and July 13.

So far there is no indication when Barnet Council will make a decision on the application to build a new football stadium at Underhill.

Opinion is divided with Bring Barnet Back campaigning for the club’s return but with equally strong opposition being voiced by those against the loss of such a large open space which is within the Green Belt and beside the Dollis Valley green walk.

The potential appeal of the playing fields as a location for music festivals and large community events might well be one of the considerations that the planners take into account when deciding whether the site should be redeveloped.

Advertisements promoting events at Underhill – previously held at Trent Park and Oak Hill Park – say the playing fields off Barnet Lane are an ideal location with excellent public transport nearby including eight bus routes, High Barnet tube station and New Barnet rail station.  

Zippos Circus is currently touring locations in and around London with its new show Bravo!

It will be at Acton Green from April 30 to May 6 and East Ham from May 9 to May 12 before moving to Barnet Playing Fields for five days – May 15 to 19.

The Eagle Festival (June 21-22, from 12noon to 10pm) is billed as a two-day celebration of “music, community and unforgettable events” with 20 “incredible artists”.

Facilities installed at the playing fields for the weekend of July 12 and 13 are to be shared between the Ghana Party in the Park on the Saturday (12noon to 8pm) and the Mauritius Open Air Festival on the Sunday.

The Ghana Party claims to be the biggest gathering of Ghanaians in the diaspora and attracts support from across the UK and Europe.

The Mauritius Open Air Festival offers the best of “Mauritius culture, music and flavour”.