We’ve officially entered the festival season and this year, Strawberries and Creem have maintained its reputation by setting new levels and outdoing its previous years. Set up by six friends in 2014 it has certainly grown, going from an 800 person garden party to 15,000 people in attendance this year.
The summer sun welcomed festivalgoers to Haggis Farm in Cambridge and in true Strawberries and Creem fashion; everyone’s musical taste was catered to. The one-day festival played the best hip-hop, UK rap, R&B, garage, house, grime, afrobeats and bashment music all night long.
The Love Island star Josh Denzel was cracking jokes and warming up the crowd for the acts as he hosted the main stage. There was also an exciting selection of special guests taking the stage and surprising the audience, including Dappy who actually got into the crowd, Ms Banks, Young T & Bugsey and Deno who dedicated his performance to the late UK rapper Cadet. As well as the main stage there was the Big Top Tent that provided an electric environment and the Enchanted Woodland Disco, which added the new flavour of House and Dance, ensuring people were cutting shapes all night.
Strawberries and Creem also effectively managed to have a great selection of female talent on the stages, DJ Cuppy brought out M.O, Mahalia, Heidi, Ms Dynamite, Shola Ama and headliner Stefflon Don. Accomplishing something other festivals tend to get dragged for.
Headliner Sean Kingston took the crowd on a trip down memory lane and Garage legend Ms Dynamite had the crowd reciting her lyrics word for word, whereas Kevin Lyttle closed the festival with revellers dancing to his dancehall hit ‘Turn Me On’.
Strawberries and Creem’s mission to ‘ Celebrate Heritage, Champion Future’ was truly reflected throughout the festival. With such a feel-good atmosphere, we will definitely be back next year.
