Forget the Oscars, Grammys and the Tonys – the results are in for the coveted Golden Mikes – the awards which celebrate festivals taking place in the East of England.

This year no fewer than nine thousand East Anglian Festival-goers visited the polls to vote for their favourite festivals, fairs and fun-days held across the East of England.  There were six awards up for grabs – one for each county and the overall East Anglian Festival of the Year.

2024 East Anglian Festival of The Year

alb festival logoAs the pandemic grew, so did the group. We set up a huge support network which became a lifeline for our local Elderly, disabled and isolating community and arranged prescription delivery services, provided education services as well as providing food, gifts and much needed positivity to our local NHS and care homes.

That included Elvis concerts and bagpipes to name a few. We quickly became extremely successful in getting help where and when it was needed.

All of that grew into  the Anti LooRoll Brigade Festival.

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2024 Cambridgeshire Winner

Estafest is a two day festival held at Estover Playing Field in March at the beginning of August.

It’s crafted WITH LOVE by local volunteers with the idea being born from local business owners who wanted to celebrate and give back to the local community. As a registered CIC all profits from the Estafest festival goes back into the local community.

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2024 Essex Winner

alb festival logoAs the pandemic grew, so did the group. We set up a huge support network which became a lifeline for our local Elderly, disabled and isolating community and arranged prescription delivery services, provided education services as well as providing food, gifts and much needed positivity to our local NHS and care homes.

That included Elvis concerts and bagpipes to name a few. We quickly became extremely successful in getting help where and when it was needed.

All of that grew into  the Anti LooRoll Brigade Festival.

See Website

2024 Hertfordshire Winner

The UK’s Smash Hit Touring Soul & Disco Spectacular. Live performances from the world’s finest.

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2024 Norfolk Winner

Costessey, a quaint town nestled in the heart of Norfolk, has a long-standing tradition of fostering a close-knit community. At the forefront of this spirit is the annual Costessey Fete and Fayre,the event evolved from humble beginnings into a source of pride for the entire community.

The Costessey Fete and Fayre has been organised by Gary Blundell, since 2014, who up until 2022 ran it with a team of volunteers on behalf of Costessey Town Council.

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2024 Suffolk Winner

Weird and Wonderful Wood is a friendly, relaxed and extraordinary event, with something for everyone.

With over 150 stalls and demonstrations, promoting wood and all it’s traditional uses, Weird and Wonderful Wood combines a celebration of wood – man’s oldest resource – with two days of free children’s workshops, walkabout entertainment, shows and spontaneous happenings around the site.

See Website

The Top 20 Festivals in 2025

  1. ALB (Anti Loo-roll Brigade) Festival
  2. Weird and Wonderful Wood
  3. Costessey Fete and Fayre
  4. Maui Waui Festival
  5. Brancaster Staithe Sea Shanty Festival
  6. Estafest
  7. Old Buckenham Balloon Fest
  8. St Ives Carnival and Music Festival
  9. VW Beetlejuiced Festival
  10. Buckfest
  11. Norwich Pride
  12. Beers, Bikes and Bands
  13. Soultasia Hertfordshire
  14. Yarmagedon – Legends of Rock
  15. Festival of Wheels
  16. Vulcan Music and Beer Festival
  17. Wild Fest at the Brewery
  18. North Walsham Children’s Day
  19. Bures Music Festival
  20. Cambridge Pride

Author

  • tony bell photographer

    A freelance photographer who also designs websites, draws things and writes stuff. In truth he doesn’t fit neatly in a box, but he has a passion for live entertainment in all its forms. You will often find him in the press pit, wandering aimlessly backstage or pointing a camera at random stuff between sets.

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