St Albans Spring Festival returns – a free street party in the City Centre
Thousands of people are expected to join the St Albans Spring Festival – an exciting street party with free entertainment suitable for all.
The festival, returning for its second year, is on Sunday 17 May and is a celebration of food, well-being, community spirit and sustainability.
Among the attractions will be live music, arts and crafts, fairground rides, face painting, roving street performers and around 100 stalls selling takeaway food, drink and other produce. There will also be opportunities to take part in a wide range of fun activities.
The event runs from noon to 6pm, with St Peter’s Street, Chequer Street and High Street closed to traffic to create a safe environment.
To ensure accessibility, British Sign Language interpreters will be in attendance. There will be ramps for wheelchair users and priority seating at the Age Friendly event.
A Sensory Retreat will be available for anyone who wants space to relax while the Community Zone, hosted by Communities 1st, will offer a quiet space where people can get support and information on local organisations.
A special event guide by Herts Inclusive Theatre will be available for anyone with access requirements so they can plan their day. It is available to view here.
Age Friendly Ambassadors will be on hand to offer people information and assistance to ensure everyone is welcomed and able to enjoy the festival.
St Albans City and District Council is organising the festival which will highlight the District’s hospitality businesses and tourism offering.
It is sponsored by Code Ninjas St Albans as well as St Albans and Harpenden Specsavers.
Councillor Edgar Hill, Lead for Events, said:
The Spring Festival was such a success last year that we decided to bring it back in response to the demand from residents.
Once again, there will be lots of activities and entertainment that will appeal to people of all ages and interests. It will be an afternoon of free music, games, activities, arts and crafts, eating, drinking and shopping.
One of our priorities is to make the event inclusive and accessible, so that’s why we’ve put together an access guide to provide information about the event.
We are expecting many thousands of residents and visitors, so I would urge people to come along and not to miss out on the fun.
Among the many attractions:
- Main Stage, situated near the Beech House, where there will be live performances by a host of local musicians.
- Food and Drink Stalls selling a vast variety of refreshments and cuisines with plenty of outdoor seating.
- Experience Zone by the Museum + Gallery where activities include a salsa class, circus skills, gardening for wildlife and tennis.
- Earth Zone, also by the Museum + Gallery, with activities to support learning about sustainability and the environment.
- Challenge Area with rodeo sheep, sideshow games and giant inflatable football darts provided by St Albans City FC. Located beside the Alban Arena.
- Create Zone by The Entertainer shop with activities including bracelet making.
- Toddler Zone by the Clock Tower, a quiet area for toddlers and their families to enjoy soft play, pavement chalk drawing and diddy cars.
- Street Entertainers including butterfly stilt walkers and Morris dancers.
- Community Zone, by Barclays Bank, a place to meet the police, charities and community groups to learn about their work.
Further details about the programme, including a timetable, are available at the Enjoy St Albans website.
Photo: scene from last year’s event.
Media Contacts: www.stalbans.gov.uk/news-and-whats.