Taking place from the 3rd, 4th and 5th May 2025.
2025 is a celebration as we celebrate May 1945 and the end of the War in Europe. With a wide range of food vendors, traders and an entertainment programme from some wonderful local organisations, this promises to be another truly memorable weekend of fun and remembrance.
The famously decorated ‘Eel Parade’ will depart at 10.30am from Cross Green, before making its way down through the High Street, down Forehill and towards the Riverside where the real celebrations begin.
There will be live entertainment in the arena all day together with the very popular ‘Eel Throwing’ (not real Eels!). We will have baby eels, eel artists and for those of you who like to try, jellied Eels! The foodie zone will be joined by a selection of musicians from the Ely Folk Festival, so come along and relax, spend some time together down by the river, enjoy crafts, activities and most of all celebrate our glorious city of Ely.
As we are making a weekend of it, celebrations continue in the heart of the city. On May 4th and 5th head up to Palace and Cross Green where you’ll find over 70 stalls offering a range of artisan food and crafts, along with the vibrant street food scene that has made this weekend one of the most attended events in the county!
We are intertwining our VE80 theme into the celebrations by welcoming the wonderful Knightingales. The Knightingales are a dynamic harmony trio who bring timeless classics to life with stunning vocals, vintage glamour, and infectious energy. With tailored shows for every event, they transport audiences to the sound of the 1940s wartime favourites, 1950s Rock and Roll, and we are sure they’ll captivate the theme perfectly.
2025 also sees the return of the Ely’s Eel Food Trail, a celebration of the culinary creativity of local food producers – all inspired by and, in many cases, featuring eel! You can expect some delicious dishes during the festival weekend, that’s for sure! A full list of all the eateries and shops taking place will be available on-line www.visitely.org.uk shortly.
Anna Bennett, Manager of Visit Ely said
‘We are delighted to bring the community our VE80 anniversary special as five years ago for VE75 we were in lockdown, so now is the chance to really celebrate, wave your flags, dress in your red/white and blue and come along to have fun. Look out for the celebratory bunting decorating the High Street and of course, our trusted Eel that will be parading. We hope you all enjoy the weekend, and a special thanks to all our sponsors that make this happen’
All updates for our unique event can be found on our website and social media channels, or by calling the Tourist Information Centre at Oliver Cromwell’s House.
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