More than 250 musicians to perform at Cambridge Buskers Festival

There may not be a Strawberry Fair or a Cambridge Folk Festival this year, but there will be free musical entertainment in Cambridge this weekend (7-8 June).

More than 100 acts will be performing at 12 Cambridge venues over the two days as part of the Cambridge Buskers Festival.

The festival will start with a parade in the city centre led by musicians from Cambridge’s Brazilian community.

This starts and ends in front of the Guildhall in market square, where the new deputy mayor of Cambridge will open the event at around 12.30pm.

That will also be when the music starts – not just in the square, but also in some of the city’s favourite music venues and pubs, big and small.

More than 250 performances in total will take place over the weekend and it’s all free to enter.

Acts range from solo singers and one-man-bands to a 100-piece choir, and there are more than 20 full bands, all eager to help raise the money needed to be able to get Strawberry Fair back on its feet again in 2026.

The full list of venues are The Six Six Bar, The Tram Depot, The Alex, Cambridge Blue, Salisbury Arms, The Six Bells, The Grain and Hop Store, the market square, The NCI, The Portland Arms, The Haymakers, and The Golden Hind.

There will also be live performances broadcast on Saturday by Cambridge Radio from some of the acts performing at the event.

The festival runs at 12.30-9.30pm each day, with each venue showcasing at least 20 acts each over the weekend.

Visitors are encouraged to come into the city and enjoy the music, and if they like what they hear to donate to help get Strawberry Fair up and running again next year.

Greg Butler, chair of the Cambuskers Community Group, said: “We want to thank all the musicians who have applied to play at the festival, the venues, and all those who have helped us put it together.

“It has been a challenge to programme over 100 acts into 12 locations over two days – but it will be well worth it to help bring joyous live music into the city.”

The Cambridge Buskers Festival began in 2008. It was devised by Heather Bevan-Hunt at Cambridge City Council, which ran an additional four festivals.

When Heather left the council in 2014, friends joined her to establish the Cambuskers Community Group to sustain the festival’s legacy.

They dedicated their efforts to celebrating the city’s talent and culture and promote the buskers code of conduct during the festivals held in 2014 and 2015.

In 2016, the festival moved to a collaboration with independent arts and music festival Strawberry Fair.

The Buskers Showcase Stage has since become a popular and integral feature of Strawberry Fair, although the fair is not happening in 2025.

A full list of performers and programme details are available on the Facebook event page, facebook.com/events/873197464791270.