Column of Councilor Kelham Cooke, Leader of South Kesteven District Council
While we’re certainly not back to ‘normal’, there’s so much to be optimistic about this year.
As South Kesteven District Council plans for the new financial year, we have much to look forward to in the months ahead. I talked about the Welcome Back Fund to support our local businesses, and we’ve used that money wisely to make sure our main streets are places residents feel ready to come back to and visitors want to explore.
On March 19, the Welcome Back Fund will help organize two exciting new events in the district, with a one-day folk festival in Grantham and an evening event in Bourne.
The folk festival will have plenty to offer music lovers from across the district and beyond with a wide range of live music. Music will kick off in Grantham Market Place at 11am, including local and national bands playing throughout the day at venues in the town centre, with food, drink, market stalls and street entertainment for all ages.
The Bourne in Lights event will be a unique festival of lights, projections and entertainment to celebrate the city. Taking place on North Street from 6-9pm, the lights will be accompanied by various interactive exhibits in what should be a truly unique and great family night out.
At the end of April, the four-day Deepings Literary Festival will also be held across the Deepings. Each day, writers from various genres, including best-selling novelists, thrillers and horror writers, will attend sessions.
The event will attract not only avid readers, but also aspiring writers, who can use the festival as an opportunity to learn the craft. It is expected to be a sold out festival.
Events like these are so important as we begin to come together as a community after what has been a long and difficult time of being apart. As a council, we very much hope this is just the beginning of a return to normalcy where we can socialize and enjoy all the neighborhood has to offer.
