Thousands attend fourth annual Cally Festival

Thousands of people poured out onto Caledonian Road to join in with the festivities of an annual event.

The Cally Festival took over the street - which runs from Islington to King’s Cross - for the fourth year in a row on Sunday with over 60 stalls, live music and poetry, storytelling and dancing.

Cllr Paul Convey, who represents Caledonian Ward, said: “The Festival is a pinnacle event to an all-year-around programme of improvement to our high street that aims to bring together the many different people of the Cally.

“It shows that we really are a community that’s pulling together to make our shared High Street a place we are proud of.”

Children were invited to join in with a pirate adventure with the crew Crumble’s Castle Adventure Playground which involved all manner of swashbuckling activities, from sword making to bandana decorating.

The main stage offered music from a top local band Burning Wheel with a guest appearance by local character, Dave Elvis.

Will Perrin, who runs the King’s Cross Environment website, said: “The Festival is the result of immense hard work by local people, artists, businesses, community groups, organisations and the Council.

“It’s a tremendous symbol of how far the area has come as when I first lived on the Cally in 2001 this sort of thing was simply inconceivable.

“It isn’t just the usual rent-a-stall-street-thing but has a strong vein of genuinely local groups celebrating their stuff and eclectic artists and performers.”

Festival organisers estimated around 8,500 people visited throughout the day.