The sun shone, the choirs sang, the music played, the dancers danced and the crowds came to watch as hundreds of people from community groups in St Neots came together in Priory Park over the weekend of June 24/25 to take part in the inaugural St Neots Festival.
More than 700 people from 32 community groups paraded through the park on Saturday to make their way to the main stage and the festival showground, where there was non-stop entertainment and food and drink.
The Eaton Socon May Queen, Emmie Durrant and her princesses Alannah Montieth and Lucy Davies led the parade, which included Priory Parkside Girls, St Neots Sentinels, Pride in St Neots, U3A St Neots, St Neots Dragon Boat Team and the Collaboration Choir, St Neots Museum, Peppercorns Academy, St Neots Players and Bees Dance Academy.
Ben Pitt, from the organising team, said "We couldn't be more delighted at how well St Neots Festival has been received. We wanted to capture the richness of a proper performing arts festival, the kind you usually have to pay a lot of money for, but make it free and accessible to everyone. The people of St Neots fully embraced what we were aiming for, and the feedback has been amazing."
Mayor of St Neots, Cllr Rob Simonis said he was really proud of all the volunteers who had worked behind the scenes and to everyone taking part.
"This shows what a community can do," he said.
The team were supported by an army of volunteers who marshalled and picked litter, plus the businesses and charities who put on shows or had stands, plus of course the acts across the two stages. Another 800 volunteers took part in the parade on the Saturday morning showcasing the diversity of talent and organisations from across the town."
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