Exciting free programme of music and entertainment kicks off at three-day Peterborough Celebrates Festival

More than 15,000 people are expected to enjoy an exciting array of music, performances, games and entertainment during a three day festival to celebrate Peterborough.

The free-to-enter Peterborough Celebrates Festival will take place in Ferry Meadows on May 13, May 14 and May 15.

A family-friendly festival seeks to bring together and showcase everything that makes the city great, and offer a chance to thank the many people that have helped the community get through the last couple of extremely challenging years.

There will be a packed timetable of music, contemporary circus, theatre, creative workshops, have-a-go sports activities – from acrobatics to kite making, martial arts to dance – a children’s fun fair and world food and drink.

More than 50 organisations, groups and performers have agreed to take part.

The fun gets under way on May 13 with the first showing of the Thank You Peterborough film featuring local school pupils, and residents with musical performances by High Heritage, Peterborough Opera and local gypsy jazz band Opaque.

There will also be activities available to give a taste of what will come over the weekend.

Saturday will be full of excitement, wonder and energy with a diverse range of great local bands and performances, theatre, and activities to keep everyone entertained, culminating in a full party atmosphere around the performance stage, hosted by BBC Radio Cambs and PCR FM’s Kev Lawrence.

On Sunday there will be a more relaxed atmosphere, but will still offer plenty of multi-cultural performances, sport, games, entertainment, theatre, and art throughout the day.

Matthew Bradbury, chief executive of Nene Park Trust, said: “People across the city are in for a real treat throughout the festival – there is truly something for everyone across every day.

“The festival is designed to bring the city together and celebrate the many fantastic and diverse offerings the city has to offer. We are delighted the festival will showcase many of the talents from the city.

He added: “The festival will offer a good mix of different, weird and wonderful experiences that people might not have seen or tried before, alongside firm favourites for all the family.”

Adrian Chapman, executive director for place and economy at Peterborough City Council, said: “The past two years have been incredibly difficult for everyone, but we can take great pride in the way our communities came together, stronger, to support those who needed help the most.

“Peterborough Celebrates Festival will be a chance to thank those people, recognise the many people in our communities who make such a difference and come together to celebrate the great things in our communities.”

Who are the organisers?

The festival is being staged by Nene Park Trust, with the support of key partners including Peterborough City Council, Arts Council England and the National Lottery Community Fund Platinum Jubilee Fund and a wide range of businesses, sponsors, supporters, and volunteers to bring it to life.

What you need to know to travel to the festival:

Festival goers are encouraged to use sustainable transport options where possible, such as the Stagecoach Number 1 bus which runs from Queensgate to Orton Wistow.

However, free car parking and various park and ride (bus and rail) schemes will be available for festival goers in the following places: Lynch Wood Business Park (PE2 6FY) and Railworld

Wildlife Haven (PE2 9NR).

There will be limited car parking available at Ferry Meadows, with the main Visitor Centre car park reserved for performers and Blue Badge holders during the festival. Blue Badge holders

can park for free during the festival.

Here is the programme of events:

Friday, May 13 5.30pm to 9pm

Talking Drums – Emmanuel, Thank You Film Premiere, Pride Vocalist, Halyana Balaban (Ukrainian Singer) Peterborough Opera, Opaque (Gypsy Jazz Band), Lost in Translation Circus, Workshops, Street and Theatre, Entertainers, Fabuloso Organ, Graffiti Wall, Food and Drink

Saturday, May 14, 11am to 9pm

Lamphouse Theatre: This is Peterborough! Lucy’s Pop Choir, Gabriella Pinada Rodrigues, (Disney Singalong), High Heritage, Ritu Ranga Dance Troupe, Musafir (Bollywood Singing), Upon This Rock, Tommy Philpott, DJ Mr Nash, Austin Gold, Odyssey, Lost in Translation Circus, U3A Performances, University Centre Peterborough – Legally Blonde and Music Students, Thank You Film, Bureau of Silly Ideas, Ockham’s Razor, Mask Theatre - Romeo & Juliet, Kuk Sool Won Martial Arts, Fabuloso Organ, Graffiti Wall, Anti-Gravity Box, Eastern Angles,Kite Making workshop,

Peterborough Royalty, Exhibition, Portrait workshop, Metal - make a star workshop, University Centre Peterborough – Be a Super Hero, Climbing Wall, Peterborough Lions Rugby Club, Rowing Challenge, Football Obstacle Course, Community Stands, Food and Drink and much more.

Sunday May 15, 11am to 6pm:

Lamphouse Theatre: This is Peterborough!, Gabriella Pinada Rodrigues, Lucky Town UK, Bharat Hindu Samaj, Peterborough Flute Choir, Abbey Ukes, Starlight Twirlettes, Multi-Faith Celebration, Cathedral Praise Band, Lost in Translation Circus, Banquine Bar Acrobatics, Pride Cabaret, Spoken Word Comedy, Cabaret, Bureau of Silly Ideas, Romeo & Juliet, Ockham’s Razor., Salvation Army Band, Eastern Angles, Graffiti Wall, Anti-Gravity Box, Kite Making workshop, Peterborough Royalty Exhibition, Metal H2Dance Fest-en-Fest, University Centre Peterborough -

Green Screen, Inflatables Bouncy Castle, Football, Footdarts and Panna Cage, Kuk Sool Won Martial Arts, Starlight Twirlettes, Community Stands and food and drink.

Who is sponsoring the festival?

The sponsors include:

Perkins, Meadow Brown Restaurants, Cross Keys Homes, Hegarty Solicitors, Savills, Brookdale Property Management Services, Saffery Champness, Greenwoods GRM, Nenescape Landscape Partnership Scheme, River Nene Regional Park Inspired Spaces.

Event Partners include:

Nene Park Trust, Peterborough City Council, Anglia Ruskin University Peterborough, Athene Communications, BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, The Meridian Trust, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cross Keys Homes, Disability Peterborough, Living Sport, Nene Valley Railway, Peterborough United Football Club, METAL, PARCA, Peterborough Cathedral, Peterborough College, University Centre Peterborough, PCR FM, Peterborough Environment City Trust, Railworld Wildlife Haven