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🌟 Saturday Pulse: Croydon’s Doers, Makers and Weekend Flavour, Issue #136
Croydon’s community champions, creative events, market flavours and Sunday previews are all here for Saturday 12/09/2026.
Croydon is buzzing today, with makers, families, performers, food traders and local organisers bringing the borough to life. Here is your quick guide to the people and places making this weekend worth a visit.
🌟 CROYDON’S DOERS, MAKERS AND COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS
Refuse2Quit is a searchable directory of local businesses, creators and community professionals for people who refuse to quit. The live Croydon directory currently shows 31 members, bringing together founders, creatives and community champions across the borough.
The listings span categories including Beauty, Hair & Makeup, Childcare, Education & Youth Work, Property & Real Estate, Music, DJ & Entertainment, Writing, Media & PR, Products, Makers & Artisans, Wellness & Holistic Coaching and Charity & Community.
Examples include ByLca, Barbara Mayne, Therapoetry’s Farhaz J, Ian Myton, MixedbyZim, Aya Mula, Xavier Pencille, Samantha Edwards, Gemma Watson at Mindful Brains Ltd and Croydon Local Pulse.
This is the community heartbeat in action: people turning ideas into action, supporting neighbours and helping Croydon move forward.
Source: Refuse2Quit Croydon directory
Know someone who should see this? Share the Saturday Pulse in your Facebook and WhatsApp groups.
🎟️ TODAY’S CULTURAL, CREATIVE AND COMMUNITY CALENDAR
10:00 to 15:15: Identity Before Impact, at Croydon Creative Enterprise Zone, Unit 55, Lower Ground Floor, Centrale Shopping Centre, Croydon CR0 1TY, is a women’s day created by Croydon based founder Camille Foune of The Eight House, with speakers including Sheila Maurice Grey, Grace Oggudah and Andrea Dormer.
The day explores identity, purpose, faith and confidence through honest conversations and connection.
10:00 to 16:00: South Croydon Charity Model Railway Show, at St Paul’s United Reformed Church, Croham Park Avenue, South Croydon CR2 7HH, features model layouts, trade stalls, children’s activities and refreshments.
Admission is £6 for adults, £3 for children aged 5 to 16, free for under 5s and £15 for a family ticket.
Source: St Paul’s United Reformed Church
11:00 to 12:00: Art Book Club, at Croydon Clocktower, offers a relaxed discussion around art and the book The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone by Olivia Laing.
Source: Museum of Croydon Art Book Club
11:30, 12:30, 14:00 and 15:00: Open House collection store tours, at the Museum of Croydon, invite visitors behind the scenes to explore rarely seen collections with the Curator and Borough Archivist.
Booking is advised. Check the official programme for current availability and timings.
12:00 to 17:00: Build/Play/Shape, at Queen’s Gardens, brings Croydon’s urban landscape to life through free family creativity, including a cardboard skyline, a mud kitchen and The Curiosity Rover.
No booking is required.
Source: Culture Croydon
15:00 to 16:00: Roald Dahl crafts, at Croydon Clocktower, join the Museum of Croydon’s family programme for a creative afternoon.
Check the official Museum of Croydon programme for current information before setting off.
Source: Museum of Croydon what’s on
From 14:00: Apple Day and the 20th anniversary of Addiscombe Railway Park, at Addiscombe Railway Park, East India Way, brings the local community together for a special celebration hosted by the Addiscombe Railway Park Friends.
Source: East Croydon community listing
🍽️ MARKET MAGIC, BRUNCH AND BOXpark BUZZ
10:00 to 18:00: Croydon Continental Market fills North End with street food, tempting treats and unique crafts, with the final day scheduled for Sunday 13/09/2026.
Source: Croydon BID Continental Market
11:00: Croydon Brunch Club meets at Ayat Kitchen Lounge, 49c South End, South Croydon, for a relaxed monthly gathering over brunch and conversation.
Source: Croydon Brunch Club
11:00 to 14:30: CPFC Fanpark, at BOXPARK Croydon, 99 George Street, CR0 1LD, offers pre and post match food, drinks and entertainment around Crystal Palace v Ipswich.
The match will not be shown at BOXPARK, and free registration does not guarantee entry, so arrive early and check the organiser’s information.
Source: CPFC Fanpark on Eventbrite
⚽ MUSIC, MOVEMENT AND MATCHDAY MOMENTUM
15:00 to 23:00: DUCKPLATES: ALL DAY ALL NIGHT, at BOXPARK Croydon, brings an afternoon and evening of music to the town centre.
Source: DUCKPLATES on Eventbrite
From 16:00: Red Bull Bring The Vim, at BOXPARK Croydon, is an Afro dance competition with international crews and an evening after-party. Check the organiser's current listing for admission and timings.
Source: Red Bull Bring The Vim
17:30: Tottenham v Everton live screening, at BOXPARK Croydon, offers an evening football screening. Check the venue’s current listing for entry and booking information.
Source: BOXPARK Croydon what’s on
🌤️ SUNDAY SNEAK PEEK: 13/09/2026
10:00 and 15:00: Stanley Arts Open House, at 12 South Norwood Hill, SE25 6AB, offers guided heritage tours, while Capital Conversations runs from 12:00 to 14:30.
The programme is free, but pre booking is required.
Source: Open House at Stanley Arts
11:00 to 14:00: Roots & Wings Family Fun Workshop, at Croydon Smile Hub, 159 London Road, Croydon, is a free family workshop at Croydon Smile Hub.
11:00 to 13:00: Movement and Sound Retreat, at Studio at 39, 39 Chapel View, South Croydon CR2 7LG, is a Sunday retreat at Studio at 39, with tickets listed at £50.
Source: Movement and Sound Retreat
12:00 to 17:00: Build/Play/Shape returns to Queen’s Gardens for another free day of family creativity and play.
Source: Culture Croydon
🎷 Sunday Jazz with Simon Duet, from 18:30 on Sunday 13/09/2026 at Manuel's Restaurant and Bar, 127 Gipsy Hill. Source: Sunday Jazz event listing
From 18:00: Blues at The Oval, at The Oval Tavern, 131 Oval Road, offers free Sunday evening entry during September and October.
Source: Inside Croydon
🚆 TRAVEL CHECK
Southern engineering works affect some services on Saturday 12/09/2026 and Sunday 13/09/2026, with amended timetables and replacement buses on affected routes.
Check live departure information before travelling and allow extra time.
💡 DID YOU KNOW?
Stanley Arts first opened in 1903 and remains a Grade II listed Edwardian theatre, gallery and public hall in South Norwood.
Its Open House tours reveal the building’s long community and cultural story.
🏫 SCHOOL CORNER AND PTA NOTICEBOARD
Croydon’s schools and PTAs help power the borough’s community spirit through fairs, bake sales, family days and fundraiser discos.
If your school or PTA has a verified notice for a future edition, submit the details through the Croydon Local Pulse website, including the date, time, venue and booking information.
Refer a friend before the weekend begins: share the Croydon Local Pulse with someone who wants to stay connected.
📲 FOLLOW THE PULSE
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The weekend is already moving, and Croydon’s doers, makers and neighbours are giving it real momentum. Keep this briefing close, check details before travelling and make the most of what is happening around you.
Building a Stronger Croydon, Together
The Croydon Local Pulse Team