First Northampton Solstice Festival to be held today
The family friendly event is to mark the longest day of the year.
The very first Solstice Festival will see a ceremony with fire dancers at a wooden Stonehenge in Northampton later.
It's happening at Duston Mill to mark the longest day of the year today, and the brain child of locally born organiser James Leay.
He says the idea came about as he wanted to create family friend events in the town:
"We've got a two year old little boy and it's always difficult to find things to do with kids so that was the whole purpose really everyone involved are parents of young children so we wanted to do something that would give us a great day out but more importantly give the kids a great day out."
The one day event will have over 50 local performers, makers, foodies, artists and entertainers. Activities for kids include bubble workshops and circus skills, with friendship bracelet making ahead of a Taylor Swift tribute act. Other musical acts include the Abington Wind Band, Kings Gambit, Evan Fallon and along with local DJs.
The centrepiece of the Solstice festival is a Stonehenge wooden creation by Timberclub.
"It's an amazing installation that everyone will be able to enjoy during the day, and just after the sun goes down after the final headline set by Jazz Colossus, they'll be fire dancers as well."
Stonehenge, Salisbury Plain, has become a pilgrimage for many around the solstice. It's thought it was built to align with the sun on the solstices. On the summer solstice, the sun rises behind the Heel Stone in the north-east part of the horizon.
A Bonfire for the Northampton Solstice Festival had been planned but with the temperature set to be 33 degrees and very dry weather predicted, that's been scaled back for safety.