Willowfest 2023: additional car parking to be available at comeback festival

The Willow Festival has teased that there will be changes afoot when it reboots this year.

July 2023 will see the long awaited return of the much-loved event, which will be held at its traditional, and original home, on the Embankment.

The live music extravaganza last took place in Peterborough in 2014. Brexit, Covid, the Ukraine war and the cost of living crisis are just a few of the events that have filled its nine-year hiatus.

One of the most recently announced changes is that more parking will be available for motorists in 2023 than in previous years.

Revellers travelling by car to this year’s event will be able to make use of the parking facilities at the nearby Railworld Wildlife Haven for the duration of the three-day festival.

Making the announcement on their website, the event organisers said: “We acknowledge hundreds of people may wish to travel to the event by car each day, and the need for suitable car parking facilities is crucial.”

They continued: “Railworld boasts a well-lit car park suitable for over 400 vehicles, with CCTV footage and great pedestrian access to the event site.”

WillowFest have said they will provide parking attendants to help ensure revellers and their vehicles benefit from maximum security and safety.

Anyone choosing to leave their vehicle will pay a nominal charge of £5 per day over the course of the festival weekend. All monies raised will be donated to the many good causes associated with Railworld.

Extended parking is an example of the mindset the organisers have adopted to try and move the festival forward:

“With the blessing and permission of the original promoter and owner, new management has been granted a long-term contract to develop the event into something greater and more sustainable,” the 2023 website states.

While the logistics of the festival may be changing for the better, the actual scale of the event will be no different than in past years.

WillowFest will showcase 176 live acts across seven stage areas, with further attractions like craft markets, alternative shopping experiences, world food vendors, and a fun fair also on hand.Limited Early Bird Weekend tickets cost £10.00 per person (plus booking fee) and are available via the official website www.thewillowfestival.co.uk.