First acts announced for huge Peterborough Celebrates Festival at Ferry Meadows

The first acts for a spectacular free festival coming to Peterborough next month have been announced – as the city prepares to celebrate.

Three female acrobats, a giant balloon spectacle, a dog show with a difference and a comedy giant slug will all be wowing festival-goers across the Peterborough Celebrates weekend at Ferry Meadows on May 18 and May 19.

Some of the professional touring performers heading to the city for this year’s festival include female acrobatic group Mimbre with their show Weight(less), offering a joyful escape from everyday life, leaving you with a smile on your face and a spring in your step; Dizzy O’Dare, the contemporary circus and theatre company, will be bringing two different shows to the weekend filled with comedy, mayhem and madness. Vanhulle Dance Theatre, the Cambridgeshire-based dance company, will be returning to the festival for the second year, bringing with them their feel good and funny dance duet Olive Branch and Pif-Paf touring theatre will be causing great hilarity with their highly visual fantastical show SEED.

Many local performers are returning to the festival this year including Gabriella Pineda Rodrigues with her ever popular family concert filled with Disney and show tunes. Xidus Pain will be back rapping and showcasing local young artists and Peterborough Pride will be sharing a joyful celebration of our city.

You can also look forward to a wide range of community performers such as Indian dancing from the Peterborough Diwali Festival, traditional brass band music from the Peterborough Salvation Army, local choirs, Willow Singers and Peterborough Rock Choir and performers from Peterborough College and UCP.

As well as the many music, drama and dance performances, the festival will have a packed and diverse schedule of other entertainment across the weekend – from arts and crafts, sport and adventure to local organisations showcasing what they do in the city.

There’s still time to get involved in the community heart bunting project too, where schools, care homes and community groups have been busy decorating hearts for an installation at the festival.

The weekend is free-to-attend, but there are some exciting ticketed cinema showings planned in the Big Top on the Thursday and Friday evenings leading up to the festival weekend.

On Thursday May 16 there will be a chance to see Wonka and join in with a Grease Sing-A- Long, and on Friday May, 17 enjoy Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical Sing-A-Long and The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Tickets are now on sale via the Peterborough Celebrates Festival web page and include free parking on those evenings.

Parking charges apply at Ferry Meadows over the festival weekend but Railworld Wildlife Haven and Nene Valley Railway have partnered up again to offer free parking at Railworld in the city centre and return tickets on the train to Ferry Meadows for £2 over the weekend.

The festival is being organised and hosted by Nene Park Trust alongside involvement and support from local communities and organisations. If you would like to get involved, through sponsoring or volunteering at the event, or by getting involved in the community heart bunting project, the festival team at Nene Park Trust would love to hear from you. For more information about the festival, please visit www.peterboroughcelebratesfestival.co.uk