Northstowe’s first-ever Midsummer Festival

On Saturday 22 June, Northstowe Hub CIO and Northstowe Arts CIC delivered the inaugural Midsummer Festival in Northstowe.   

The event took place after a £7,786 awarded to them from the Community Activation Fund - administered by South Cambridgeshire District Council (SCDC) on behalf of Homes England. These groups were the first organizations to be named recipients of the fund, designed to support projects that promote community cohesion and enhance the vibrancy of life in Northstowe. 

The Midsummer Festival brought together community groups, organisations, friends, and neighbours from across Northstowe through an uplifting day of activities and entertainment around the Green and the Cabin, Northstowe’s temporary community centre. The day was a diverse celebration of dance, music, heritage, games, food, and fun, with a detailed program announced in the weeks leading up to the event. 

community cohesion

Aligned with the ethos of the Community Activation Fund, the Midsummer Festival helped promote the use of community facilities, improve access to arts and cultural activities in Northstowe, and support the health and well-being of residents. The funding also supported the local economy, with services subcontracted to different local businesses to help deliver a safe, inclusive, and engaging event. 

Bringing people together and cultivating a sense of belonging is really important when it comes to creating new places, and that’s exactly what the work of Northstowe Arts and Northstowe Hub aims to achieve. The Midsummer Festival brought together many different facets of Northstowe’s diverse, already thriving community in one big celebration.  

a new tradition

As an emerging new town, Northstowe is still in the early stages of its story – providing residents with a unique opportunity to establish community traditions. The town’s ambition is to make the Midsummer Festival an annual milestone which evolves with the community that supports it. 

Even though the town is still in its infancy – Northstowe is set to be transformed into a thriving new community of around 25,000 people over the next two decades – a diverse community is already shaping its unique identity. Over 3,000 people currently call Northstowe home, and there are a series of thriving community and faith groups, along with a dedicated Town Council, in place. 

Open to enter 

The Community Activation Fund application portal is accepting submissions and will continue to be open year-round.

More information and full details of the submission criteria can be found here at https://www.scambs.gov.uk/community-safety-and-health/northstowe/northstowe-community-activation-fund.