After a year and a bit of staying indoors and eating take-out on our sofas, it’s finally time for us to get those sparkly tops out and keep our water bottles strapped to us as we head into the rebirth of festival season! Over our many years of slumping through the sludge of last night’s rave, we have discovered that there are two different types of festival-goers; the party all day and camp all night and the party for a few hours then head back to the cosiness of home. Well, after a lifetime of being divided, we have finally found an ideal festival that can please both worlds- Strawberries and Creem. With camping and easy access back to London’s Liverpool Street, Strawberries and Creem offers a place for all of us to party as much as we’d like, without the harsh reality of the long journey home.
Strawberries and Creem have too many vibes to fit into one article; there’s the incredible feeling of bringing all backgrounds together under a series of tents in the middle of neutral ground. Cambridge is traditionally known for its prestigious university life, brilliant restaurants and historical culture. Towards the end of the summer, the area, which lies about an hour and a half outside of London’s boroughs, is brought to life with partygoers from all ends of the UK. Whether you’re into house, afrobeat, dancehall, pop or all of the above, there’s a way for you to feel just at home whilst venturing around the S&C grounds.
The most beautiful part about S&C is how we’re able to come together as one after the traumatic and frankly life-altering year of 2020. To be able to connect, dance and laugh with those from near and far was the highlight of our time spent in Cambridge. With convenient safety precautions taken throughout the festival, including card only payment, hand sanitiser stations, Covid-19 checkpoints as well as a thorough testing system prior to entering the grounds, we all felt safe enough for it to almost feel as though the pandemic was a distant memory.
With being one of the only festivals in the UK to champion having a diverse and gender-equal lineup, the talent on display at S&C was fair and refreshing. Crowds rushed to see Koffee, Little Simz, Burna Boy, Giggs and Wilkinson just to name a few, whilst having the best food and atmosphere surrounding them at all times. To also satisfy those craving the bank holiday tradition, Strawberries and Creem provided amazing parades and sound systems paying homage to one of London’s most treasured weekends; Notting Hill Carnival (which we hope to see officially returning soon!).
If you’re looking for a stress-free reintroduction to festival life and learning how to be young once again, Strawberries and Creem always delivers when promising to provide an energetic environment for us all to safely enjoy our new normal. Next summer, if you’re looking for a place to dive into different cultures, a change of scenery less than two hours away from your local tube station, head down to Strawberries and Creem and let them know Verge sent you!
