The first festival of the City Day in Cherry Hinton Hall had a good start on Saturday with a family -friendly focus and a welcome familiarity for those who deal with this special Feeling Cambridge Folk Festival.
The background story – the confusion about whether the folk festival continues, the arguments on the responsibility of the city council, the Wrangles on the musical direction – were parked at the (unmanned) gate when they occurred.
People in the city in Cherry Hinton Hall. Image: Keith Heppell
Around 1,000 people enjoyed a sunny afternoon in the park around 2 p.m. – one hour after the event began – hundreds of others arrived when the afternoon joined. Many sat the music in the classic Folk Festival fashion, while others wandered around the stands, most of which sold food and drinks (ie no clothing stands, no craft, jewelry, musical instruments, etc.).
The music in the first few hours was child -friendly, with some great singing songs and jokes between the audience and the actors.
Nick Cope, who opened the musical agenda, had a great time.
People in the city in Cherry Hinton Hall, Katherine Priddy. Image: Keith Heppell
“This song was described as” The Wonderwall for the UN-5S “, he proudly said of a song,” and now your chance is how to dance a lizard! “
He starts in a song, the texts of which basically “I am a little lizard and I stand on a rock and stand on a rock. Yes, I stand on a rock …” It was actually quite moving …
When he asked the audience if they had songs about animals they wanted to sing, he received an unexpected proposal from a member of the audience.
People in the city in Cherry Hinton Hall, Sam Sweeney & Grace Smith. Image: Keith Heppell
“Kneecap?” said Nick, in response to The Heckle. “Well, we could do a little kneecap, but maybe I thought more about hedgehogs. But let’s see what we can come up with, and the adults can also participate …”
The stages -sound mix was great, all musicians were great, this was an opportunity to show what this festival team can do best -and the security staff are also great, they really keep the show on the street while they are inconspicuous. It really seemed as if all those who were involved in taking this event had a great excursion.
People in the city in Cherry Hinton Hall. Image: Keith Heppell
There was also a repair café stand and a work of art that was led by local creative and social justice -seeking Hilary Cox Condron.
“This is the extraordinary art studio,” says Hilary, when I asked her what she was going to do – the third from the ordinary festival will take place on August Bank later this month. Actors, dancers, musicians and artists organize events all over the city.
“What we do,” says Hilary, who indicates some oversized Ooto letters outside the tent.
Hilary Cox-Contron with Lilly at the age of 6 in folk in the city in Cherry Hinton Hall, August 2, 2025. Image: Emily Scialom
“A sun?” Asks a boy.
“You do that,” says Hilary.
“I make half a fish and half a duck,” says a girl as she pulls.
How did this topic arise, I ask the legendary local artist and educator?
Repair café Banner in the folk in the city in Cherry Hinton Hall, August 2, 2025. Image: Emily Scialom
“Well, the city ridge shows an animal that is half past twelve and another other – like a mermaid,” she replies. “But it’s a hippocampus.”
She shows me a photo and in fact this creature is one of the supporters of the coat of arms of the city council of Cambridge – he knew!?
“Yes, it is a sea creature with the head and neck of a horse and the tail of a fish or dolphin,” continues Hilary, “so we hold the tail and invite posts to the head.”
Backstage at Folk in the City in the Cherry Hinton Hall – a small shift from the backstage Shananigans of the Cambridge Folk Festival! Image: Mike Scialom
I ask if Hilary knows that the hippocampus also has something to do with the brain.
“Yes, where is it?” She asks.
I am not sure, so I google it and it says “a region of the brain that is shaped like a seahorse and plays a crucial role in memory and spatial navigation.”
People in the city in Cherry Hinton Hall, Sam Sweeney & Grace Smith. Image: Keith Heppell
“A seahors!” Hilary says triumphant. “This is a creature with the upper body of a horse and the lower body of a fish or a snake!”
For a moment it seems that we started a journey into a mystery to struggle for a secret that lies in the heart of human experience, but then I remember that it was a while since I went to a festival and about that.
“We had some great contributions,” notes Hilary, “with a half-fishing -ic giraffe, where the places of the giraffe were windows that looked into the world, and another was half a dog and half a cat. One was a person who was disguised as a tree.”
People in the city in Cherry Hinton Hall. Image: Keith Heppell
I feel an art overload, I hike for a pizza. The music gradually turns from children’s songs into the Sean O’Hanrahan band, which contained a song by Talking Heads into her repertoire. The singer is a smaller for the fantastic and with the tension in Marianne belief that died at the beginning of this year, and the standup bass sounds rich and resonant in the mix.
People in the city in Cherry Hinton Hall, Katherine Priddy. Image: Keith Heppell
It is a great start and the set list promises much more size and culminates in what the announcer “the biggest Ceilidh in the city of ever” at 6.45 p.m. “and a Jam session afterwards”.
After a rocky conceptual process, it was a pleasure to be at the opening volume of the city festival, which magically found a place in our hearts.