Music and performing arts festival will take place in Priory Park in St Neots

St Neots Festival is all systems go after securing funding and support from St Neots Town Council, Urban&Civic and a number of businesses in the town.

The Town Council has pledged £15,000 to bring the new, free-to-attend, music and performing arts festival to Priory Park on July 4/5 2020. Urban&Civic, the master developer for Wintringham, has match-funded the Town Council and is working with the festival organisers to ensure the event is a success.

St Neots-based estate agents Thomas Morris and Lovetts are also on board, providing both funding and practical support, while energy and carbon management specialist Energise is giving logistic support.

The festival organisers are also working with local businesses including Art & Soul Café, Bohemia, Elsie May's and Shumë to ensure there is a great selection of food and drink at the festival.

St Neots Festival is being organised by Neotists, a collective of creative people who want to put cultural experiences, learning and employment at the heart of a fresh vision for the town. The festival will not only showcase what the town has to offer, but also bring new experiences that are currently unavailable locally.

As organiser Ben Pitt explained: "St Neots is rapidly changing, with lots of young families making their home here, particularly in Love's Farm and Wintringham. We want to create a festival that appeals to younger audiences while also bringing the whole community together. That's why we're including a wide range of entertainment: pop and rock, jazz, folk, world and classical, theatre and dance performances, visual art plus lots of opportunities for people of all ages to get involved and try something new."

The festival also has a strong message around clean energy. The organisers are hoping to avoid using fossil fuels to power the stages, and in future years hope that the festival will grow to become fully carbon neutral. They are also working towards eliminating landfill waste by ensuring that everything is reusable, recyclable or compostable.

"We are inspired by St Neots Town Council's pledge to be carbon neutral by 2030 and we're keen to start making progress right now. There's a strong feeling that St Neots is on the up, and we want to embrace clean energy as part of a new narrative for our town," added Mr Pitt.

So far the organisers have raised about a quarter of the total budget they're aiming for.

"With our current funding we can definitely go ahead," said Mr Pitt, "but we're hoping to call on the support of local businesses and residents so we can create unforgettable experiences for all ages. We want to boost St Neots' reputation for amazing cultural experiences and show everyone what an exciting place it is to live, work and visit."

If you'd like to get involved as a partner, sponsor, performer or volunteer get in touch at: ben@stneotsfestival.co.uk.