Summer in the City
Being so close to the University of Cambridge you can’t help but feel the exam pressure radiating around the streets as students are taking their ‘Finals’ exams. After the last paper has written comes the time of year that all the students have been waiting for – May Week – which is actually in June. Originally May Week festivities were held in May, in the nal week leading up to the year-end exams, but in 1882 the May boat races (known as the May Bumps) were moved to June and the rest of the activities followed suit.
For those of you who want to relive your Cambridge summer ball days or simply fancy joining in on the summer social scene, what events are out there for the slightly more mature Cambridge resident?
Cambridge is sizzling with al fresco performances of music in the parks and green spaces as part of the annual Summer in the City programme of events. This includes:
Strawberry Fair on 2nd June is one of the most popular events in the city attracting over 30,000 visitors to this one-day music and arts extravaganza. Find out more here.
Jazz & Brass in the Parks on selected Sundays from June to September. Just turn up, bring a picnic and enjoy Jazz and Brass in Cambridge’s beautiful leafy parks! Find out more here.
Midsummer Fair & Market from 20-25th June is a must for those who love a traditional fun filled fair. Find out more here.
The Wimpole History Festival from 22-24 June is organised by Cambridge Literary Festival and the National Trust. The festival promises a feast of history and heritage for the whole family packed full of talks, debates, book signings and performances. Find out more here.
The Big Weekend from 13-15th July. Locals can enjoy three days and nights of free music and family entertainment on Parker’s Piece. Find out more here.
The Cambridge Comedy Festival from 18th-21st July is celebrating its tenth year this year and is moving to the picturesque Jesus Green. The Jesterlarf Comedy Club Marquee will be hosting shows with big name headliners each night. Find out more here.
The Cambridge Shakespeare Festival from 9th July – 25th August is an eight-week tour-de-force of Elizabethan drama performed in the idyllic and unique settings of Cambridge University’s private gardens. Audiences can enjoy a picnic on a summer’s evening before enjoying theatre at its best. Find out more here.
Cambridge Folk Festival from 2nd-5th August is one of the premier music events in Europe and one of the longest running and most famous folk festivals in the world. It has become hugely popular attracting fourteen thousand people, many of whom return year after year. The Festival is renowned for its unique atmosphere and its eclectic mix of music from the best traditional folk artists from the UK and Ireland, cutting edge contemporary acts, the finest American country, blues and roots artists and acclaimed singer songwriters. Find out more here.
