Dawn Pascoe with Cambridge’s Jason Buckley, Alan Langer and Mayor Simon Withers.
Camera IconDawn Pascoe with Cambridge’s Jason Buckley, Alan Langer and Mayor Simon Withers. Credit: Supplied/Marcus Whisson

Festival’s timing turning Town frown upside down

Sophie GabrielleWestern Suburbs Weekly

Cambridge Mayor Simon Withers said the festival would now be a celebration of how far the town has come since it was created 20 years ago.

‘It was going to be the last event held by Cambridge before all the mergers took effect and it was starting to feel like a wake,’ Mr Withers said.

‘Now it will be a celebration of how far we have come and what we have to look forward to.

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‘Cambridge has developed its own sense of identity and people are very proud to live in Cambridge.’

Mr Withers said the festival this Saturday would be an opportunity to celebrate the milestone with the community.

‘Our community consultation shows that residents would like more community events and the festival is, in part, an experiment to see if it is what people want,’ he said.

‘If it goes well, it might become an annual event.’

Mr Withers said the challenge for Cambridge over the next 20 years would be to improve main streets and shopping precincts while retaining Cambridge’s identity.

‘If we get it right, we will have fabulous beaches, parks and gardens and other public amenities, coupled with interesting shopping precincts and great neighbourhoods,’ he said.

‘Keeping the lid on overdevelopment, which is a recurring problem, while getting the type of development we need has been a major headache and is one of the main challenges for the future.’

The anniversary celebrations on Cambridge Street will have a carnival atmosphere and include live bands, circus performers, pop-up market stalls, buskers, amusement rides, circus workshops, children’s entertainment and street theatre.