Images show ‘beautiful’ Winter Festival now open at Ferry Meadows

Ferry Meadows opened its first ever Nene Park Winter Festival on Friday (December 1).

The festival will be open every day from 4pm, and will run until Christmas Eve.

Along with classic Yuletide staples like traditional fairground stalls, festive food and drinks cabins, and pop-up Christmas shops, visitors can also sit back and enjoy a showing of that timeless seasonal favourite The Snowman in a cosy travelling cinema truck.

In addition, the magical festival is showcasing an illuminated willow sculpture trail, as well as hosting an array of artistic displays.

Pete Edwards, Nene Park Trust’s event manager, explained more:

“The Winter Festival combines all the arts – performance, cinema, dance, music and poetry, with the added extra of a beautiful light trail.

“[This is] something completely different for Ferry Meadows in the winter, and for Peterborough too!,” he added.

The enchanting dance and musical performances that have already delighted visitors of all ages have been diligently curated by the Eastern School of Performing Arts.

The audio visual poetry installation features brand-new poems by Syntax Poetry Collective members Mark Grist, Charley Genever, Lauren Kendrick and Sandy Wardrop, all of whom have been inspired by their most-loved forest creatures.

The Yuletide-themed festival – which was opened by Peterborough Cultural Alliance’s MD Sughra Ahmed – welcomed thousands of visitors over its debut weekend.

‘I’m so pleased with the visitor feedback from the opening weekend,” Pete said.

“We set out on this event planning journey six months ago, with one objective, to bring high quality, affordable festive tingles to Peterborough - and we’ve definitely achieved that.”

Judging from feedback gathered so far, visitors are counting the magical moon and animal tea party installation, watching the Snowman in the cosy cinema, and roasting marshmallows in the enchanted forest as their chief highlights.

Many visitors have also been keen to share how pleased they are to have a festive family event on their doorstep which appeals to all ages.

Tickets for the Winter Festival cost £9.50 each, although carers and under 3’s receive free admittance. Parking is included.Visit www.nenepark.org.uk/winter-festival to book.