EastCambs

What’s on

Festivals, fairs, carnivals and markets across East Cambridgeshire, from the Eel Festival in May to the Christmas fair at the cathedral.

The wide grassy Fair Green at Reach in summer, with a large tree and village houses beyond
Fair Green, Reach. Photo: John Sutton, CC BY-SA 2.0

Coming up

Events with dates confirmed by their organisers.

  1. Ely Cathedral Christmas Gift & Food Fair

    · Ely Cathedral

    Gift and food stalls inside the cathedral (ticketed, with evening sessions on Thursday and Friday), plus a free outdoor marquee with food and drink.

  2. Ely Folk Festival

    · Stuntney Estate, near Ely

    Three days of folk music, dance, workshops and camping. Day and weekend tickets are available.

Regular markets

  • Ely Thursday charter market

    Ely’s traditional general market on the Market Place.

    Every Thursday · Ely

  • Ely Saturday market

    Craft, food and vintage stalls on the Market Place: antiques, books, street food, artisan produce and handmade crafts.

    Every Saturday · Ely

  • Ely Farmers’ Market

    Fresh local produce and baking.

    2nd and 4th Saturday of the month · Ely

  • Ely Sunday and Bank Holiday Market

    Artisan food, plants, gifts and collectables.

    Every Sunday and bank holiday · Ely

  • Ely mini market

    Everyday basics such as fruit, vegetables and bread.

    Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday · Ely

Through the year

The district’s regular festivals and fairs and when they usually take place. Exact dates are announced by each organiser, so follow the links before you plan a trip.

  1. April

    • Foodie Friday

      A big street food market on Ely’s Market Place on summer evenings.

      Last Friday of the month, April to August, 4pm to 8.30pm · Ely

  2. May

    • Ely Eel Festival

      A celebration of Ely’s eel heritage around the early May bank holiday, with a parade, food and music. Details are published by Visit Ely.

      Around the early May bank holiday weekend · Ely

    • Reach Fair

      One of England’s oldest charter fairs, held in the village of Reach each spring and traditionally opened by the Mayor of Cambridge.

      Early May bank holiday Monday, opened at noon · Reach

    • Soham Carnival & Heavy Horse Show

      Running since 1952 and organised by the Soham Benevolent Association to raise money for local groups.

      Usually around the early May bank holiday · Soham

    • Stretham Feast

      A village festival held every May since 1877, with a market around the Village Cross, an outdoor service, a pipe band parade and a fair on the recreation ground. Feast Day is the third Sunday in May.

      Third Sunday in May · Stretham

  3. June

    • Burwell Carnival

      A community day out for all ages that raises thousands of pounds for local charities and groups.

      Late June or early July · Burwell

  4. July

    • Ely Folk Festival

      A friendly weekend of folk music, ceilidhs, dance and camping, held each July just outside the city.

      A weekend in July · Ely

    • Ely Aquafest

      A summer day of fun on and beside the river in Ely.

      July · Ely

    • Ely Home & Garden Show

      A show of ideas, products and local businesses for the home and garden.

      July · Ely

    • Pride in Ely

      Ely’s Pride celebration, with other events through the year.

      July · Ely

  5. September

    • Heritage Open Days

      England’s largest heritage festival: churches, mills, museums and private buildings across the district open their doors for free.

      Ten days in September · Across the district

    • Soham Pumpkin Fair

      A popular autumn fair held in Soham on the last Saturday in September.

      Last Saturday in September · Soham

  6. October

    • Ely Apple and Harvest Fayre

      A celebration of apples, harvest and local produce.

      October · Ely

  7. November

    • Ely Fireworks

      A community fireworks display in Cherry Hill Park in early November, with food stalls and fairground rides. Soham Town Rangers also hosts a family fireworks night.

      Early November · Ely, Soham

    • Ely Cathedral Christmas Gift & Food Fair

      Three days of gift and food stalls inside the cathedral, with a free outdoor marquee.

      Late November · Ely

Find more events

  • Visit Ely

    The city’s what’s on guide, including the Eel Festival and seasonal events.

  • Ely Cathedral events

    Concerts, talks, tours and services at the cathedral.

  • Spotted in Ely

    Local news with event listings for Ely and the villages.

  • Jigsaw magazine

    Soham’s community magazine, with a diary of local events in each issue.

Organising an event in East Cambridgeshire? Tell us about it, or email the date, place and a link to hello@eastcambs.co.uk, and we’ll consider it for this page. Listings are free.

Dates and details can change, so please check with the organiser before you travel.