Organisers hope Peterborough festival helps change city's image
Around 20,000 people are expected to turn out this weekend
Organisers are hoping this weekend's Peterborough Celebrates Festival will help change the city's reputation.
The event takes place today and tomorrow, with around 20,000 people expected to head to Ferry Meadows for two days of entertainment including music, dance and arts.
The theme for this year's festival is a 'love letter to Peterborough', showcasing what the city has to offer.
Steph Peachey's from Nene Park Trust who are behind the event:
"Peterborough gets a really bad rep; when you live here, you're filled with lively people, vibrant, committed communities that meet and create, and what we want to do with the festival is to celebrate all of that kind of difference," she said.
"(The main message is) Peterborough is creative, community spirited and that we are fully respectful of each other and we enjoy spending time with each other."
Covid message
The festival, now in its third year, was set up as a way of thanking key workers for their efforts through the Covid pandemic and the people of Peterborough who overcame this period.
Steph hopes events like these can continue to bring more people together.
"I don't think we're back to the pre-Covid levels of wanting to get out and spend time with each other; I think there are still people who are very nervous and this is an opportunity to come outside and to mix with people," she added.
"It is the opposite of loneliness; it's a festival about togetherness.
"I think what we learned through Covid was what it felt like to be lonely; we weren't able to mix in the way that we now can and I think we see with lots of events that people want to get out."