Music festival returns after nine-year hiatus

Event manager John Scriven says The Willow Festival is about celebrating live music

A Cambridgeshire music festival showcasing more than 170 live music acts is returning after nine years.

The Willow Festival was launched in Peterborough in 1998, with 25 artists and bands performing at the city's Embankment.

The event attracted a growing audience of up to 50,000 over the years, until it came to an end in 2014 due to increased costs and the difficulty of keeping the event free.

It will be held on 21, 22 and 23 July with acts from a range of genres performing across seven stages.

The festival is once again being held at Peterborough Embankment

Mark Ringer founded the festival to support live musicians and attract a varied audience through free entry.

After the nine-year hiatus, Mr Ringer "passed on the reigns" to John Scriven, this year's event manager.

Mr Scriven said: "The festival is all about celebrating live music, all those artists across the country that want to be heard, get exposure out in the public domain, because some of them want to do it as a hobby, but others want a career out of it."

The event will have seven stages, fairground rides, workshops and a food village