Our guide to Strawberry Fair 2023 in Cambridge
The ever-popular Strawberry Fair will take place on Saturday (June 3) on Midsummer Common, and this year’s theme is ‘Revolution’.
The event has changed a bit over the years but today’s Strawberry Fair still stays true to its roots. Entry and entertainment is all free and the fair remains independent and has no major sponsors.
It is organised and managed entirely by unpaid volunteers who work throughout the year to put together what may be the UK’s largest and longest-running free festival, attracting up to 40,000 visitors across the day.
The fair is preceded by a parade through Cambridge, which starts around 11am and arrives on Midsummer Common at 12pm for the grand opening on the Village Green. The parade features costumes galore, stilt walkers, street performers and more.
Strawberry Fair has always been a feast for music lovers and this year is no exception. As well as music all day at the Centre Stage and Shady Rebel Nasty Love Stage, there will also be a full day of music at the WigWam Stage, the Flying Pig Stage, the CamBuskers Stage, the RBG Stage, and in the largest indoor stage – the Portland Ballroom. There will also be two new stages this year, the Revolting Youth Stage and Plastic Den.
Chair of the fair’s committee, Liz Nathan, said: “We can’t wait to bring you a fun and inclusive free day out for all the family, at a place where music, art, and people celebrate our passion together, the ultimate expression of true community in Cambridge. It can only be Strawberry Fair 2023!
“Please come down and see us. Donate if you can, volunteer if you can, and immerse yourself in what we do, because the fair lives on when it’s a part of all of us.”
In addition to a day of music, Scarecrow Corner is also home to a range of community and social awareness stalls and anything from massage to storytelling all around the Druid circle, and the new Strawberry Fair Café will be serving tea, coffee and cakes throughout the day.
The Strawberry Arts Area will also be showing some of the work of the city’s artists and there will be interactive theatre, workshops and activities throughout the day. The Arts Area is also the home of the Wild Strawberries Poetry and Spoken Word Stage.
The fair has a secure children’s park which is open from 12pm to 6pm with its own entertainers, performers, story tellers, face painters, along with a nursery area, a messy play area and a chill out area.
The kids’ park is alcohol-free, but The Portland Arms provides the Portland Ballroom with a fully-stocked bar and there is another main bar near the Village Green in the middle of the common, with smaller bars across the site as well.
Strawberry Fair is run by a team of unpaid volunteers and being involved in the fair is a great way to learn about event management.
To learn more about being involved in next year’s event, email iwanttohelp@strawberry-fair.org.uk. For more on the fair, go to strawberry-fair.org.uk.
