The three-day event has been organised by St Neots Town Council which hopes the new festival will plug the entertainment gap.
It will be the first time in 60 years the town's annual carnival will not be the main focus after organisers decided to call it a day last year.
The riverside festival programme starts on Saturday (August 23) with Dixieland Jazz music in the Market Square, courtesy of the ever-popular Jazz Beens.

Saturday's main attraction will start at 2pm on Regatta Meadow with a funfair and rides for all ages.
There'll also be a licensed bar, food and charity stalls and live performances from local solo musicians and bands.
Although the playlist is yet to be finalised, bands signed up at the moment to perform are Heart Attack Jack, The Mono Effect, Let Down, Rogue Poet, Clearcut, Ben Ashwell, Mark Gamble Band, Erstwile Collective, The Droogz, Kat is the Decoy, Beyond Destruction and The Warning.
Fun and games on the Regatta Meadow will continue until 10pm and will recommence at 2pm on Sunday, (August 24) with more performances from local bands.

Also on Sunday the St Neots Big Band will set feet tapping when they perform the big numbers from their venue on the riverside band stand from 2pm to 4pm.
The highlight of the day will be a firework display at 10pm which is sponsored by the St Neots branch of the Norwich and Peterborough Building Society and the St Neots Town Centre Initiative.
On Bank Holiday Monday the St Neots Town Mayor's charity duck race will take place at 2pm from St Neots bridge with the ducks racing to the winning post at St Neots Rowing Club slipway.
Prizes are £200, £150, £100, £50 and a £50 gift voucher from Barretts Store.

Tickets for the duck race are £2 per duck and are available from the Priory Centre and town council offices - and also at various pubs and clubs.
The Mayor of St Neots Cllr Bob Eaton said: "It has been quite a challenge to put this in place at such short notice, but we hope that people come along and enjoy themselves."
St Neots town centre manager Tom McCormick said: 'All the local performers and helpers are giving their time for free to provide something for people to enjoy. The fireworks display is certainly something to look forward to. We can't control the weather, but we hope that people come along and have fun anyway.

"We also hope to have classic and vintage cars on show over the Saturday and Sunday, but this will be dependent on the weather and ground conditions on Regatta Meadow.
He added: "We are keeping an eye on the weather as some of the heavier fairground equipment can damage the park if the ground is too soft. However, come rain or shine, the fireworks will take off into the sky at 10pm on Sunday."



Treasure maps at the ready
HUNT for your treasure this Bank Holiday with the St Neots Rotary Club.
The treasure hunt, involving a walk around St Neots town centre, will be held free of charge on Monday, August 25.
With two prizes to be won including a £30 gift voucher for the Hong Kong Chinese Restaurant in St Neots and a £20 voucher for the Michael Carter Driving School, the treasure hunt will start and finish in St Neots Market Square.

The first treasure hunt of the day will be between 10am and noon and the second will follow between 1pm and 3pm.
Rotary members will be providing clues, prize draw information and a map for all who enter and will collect in the completed forms at the end of the trail.
The Rotary Club will also be collecting donations from the public which will go towards Rotary Charities for youth opportunities.


Artists make a summer splash

It is time for the St Ives Art Group to splash out their art work for another summer exhibition.
The four-day exhibition will be held at The Free Church in St Ives where a collection of work will be available for sale.
The local art group will be displaying an array of watercolour, acrylic and oil paintings all based around various themes.
>> Opening times for the exhibition will be Friday August 22, 11am to 4.30pm, Saturday 23, 9am to 4.30pm, Sunday 24, 2pm to 4.30pm and Monday 25, 8am to 4pm.

Visit the Pidley flower festival

Take a visit to the Pidley Flower Festival over the August Bank Holiday weekend at All Saints' Church in Pidley cum Fenton.
Brought to you by churchwardens Pat Spencer and Kevin Doyle and organiser Christine Paynter, the festival is set for another stunning exhibition.

The theme for decoration this year is on numbers with a whole range of displays including the five loaves and three fishes, the four seasons, the five rings of the Olympic Rings and 90 years of the Royal Air Force (RAF).
With cream teas and local produce such as jams and vegetables available on sale, organiser Christine Paynter promises a festival well worth coming to.

All Saints' Church will also be holding its well attended Songs of Praise service at 6pm for which all are welcome.
Organisers are aiming to raise money this year in order to repair the damaged entrance arch to the church.
>> The festival will take place between 11am and 5pm on Saturday, August 23, Sunday, August 24 and Monday, August 25.


Summer boredem!

Take the kids down to the St Neots Museum in New Street where there are ongoing exhibitions and one-off events to keep the kids interested for a few hours.
The Summer on the Farm exhibition runs until October 4 and shows what life was like for people who worked on farms in this area a century ago. You can find out what local farms looked like 100 years ago, what sort of animals were kept and how food gets from the farmer's fields to our dinner tables today.

As well as photographs and objects to look at, there will be 'hands-on' games and puzzles to tackle and a variety of activities and workshops throughout the rest of the summer holidays.

St Neots and Eaton Socon Heritage Weekend takes place at the museum on Saturday and Sunday, September 13-14, and is free to all visitors from 10.30am to 4.30pm. Cream teas will be served from 11am until 3.30pm.

All activities are drop in so there is no need to book, and children under 12 need to be accompanied by an adult. For further information call the museum on 01480 388921.


Guided walk around St Mary's Church, St Neots

Cambridgeshire Archaeology, part of Cambridgeshire County Council, will be holding a guided walk around St Mary's Church, St Neots, on Wednesday, August 27.

Quinton Carroll, County Council Historic Environment Team Manager, will lead the walk, starting at 7pm.

He said: "St Neots Church is a fine example of a Medieval urban church, yet owes its origins to the Anglo-Saxon settlement and priory that grew up along the banks of the River Ouse and the Hen Brook. As well as looking at the development of the building itself, the relationships between church, town and priory are key to understanding the role of this magnificent building."

The walk will point out the main features of the building and discuss its history and its relationship with the town and priory.

David Crawford-White, Archaeological Outreach and Learning Officer, added:
"This is an ideal opportunity to visit a splendid church of historical interest."

>> Anyone wishing to join the walk should meet outside the Church entrance at 7pm, on Wednesday, August 27. Or telephone (01223) 718133 for further details. For other Cambridgeshire Archaeology events contact David Crawford-White on (01223) 850500.