Hello everyone, 

As a resident of Cambridge, the recent news that Strawberry Fair has been cancelled for 2025 deeply saddens me, as this fair has been a staple of our community for 50 years, marking the start of summer with music, food and fun.

Additionally, the festival has hosted a large number of traders, who rely on Strawberry Fair for their income. Strawberry Fair is also a tourist attraction, and every year gathers 35,000-40,000 visitors. 

As of December 16th, according to the Strawberry Fair website, (https://www.strawberry-fair.org.uk/2024/12/16/no-fair-in-2025/) the fair has been cancelled due to the costs of running the fair, especially after 2021. In recent years Cambridge City Council has also included Strawberry Fair among the recipients of community and cultural grants, which has massively helped the Fair to keep going despite rising costs. This year it has been cut, as the council is currently saving to reduce the council’s annual net expenditure by £6 million by 1 April 2026. However, on the Cambridge City Council's website, they state that "We will continue to focus on modernising and finding efficiencies to bring down costs and, through our Community Wealth Building work, help voluntary organisations, charities and social enterprises to address pressing community needs." 

Strawberry fair is a social enterprise as it promotes community, with so many different people of all ages coming together each year. It also helps musicians and many traders to gain expose that they need to make a living. Strawberry Fair also collaborates with many local places such as the Portland arms with the Portland stage and the Cambridge Radio. They also help amplify charities as many have stalls at Strawberry Fair each year, such as the organisation Cambridge Palestine Solidarity Campaign, which had a stall at Strawberry Fair. This helps the charities gain visibility as well as donations which is integral. This means that Strawberry Fair should be considered one of the organisations that the Council should be working with as it is a vital part of my community. Strawberry Fair is a reminder that Cambridge is not just a university town, it is so much more, it has helped bring our community together for 50 years.

I hope with you can sign this and share it with anyone that may be able to help as I will be submitting this petition to Cambridge County Council once it reaches 500 signatures. 

Thanks,

Ana Makljenovic, resident of Cambridge and supporter of Strawberry Fair