A NEW two-day festival is set to light up Cirencester with a blaze of music, arts and entertainment.

Cirencester’s Youth Council are looking to put the town on the map for performing arts with a free entry summer event at the Abbey Grounds.

Along with top local music acts on a main stage, the Phoenix Festival on Saturday, June 29 and Sunday, June 30 will be packed full with fun and games for all ages.

In the pipeline is a skate ramp with demonstrations from professionals, a catering village, circus school entertainers, arts and craft workshops, a rodeo sheep and a host of inflatable games for children and adults, including a giant football table, gladiator jousting, sumo wrestling and a bouncy castle.

Far from a pie-in-the-sky idea, the group of 14 teenagers, aged around 14 to 17, have already secured more than £12,000 of funding for the event, which is estimated to cost up to £30,000 in total.

Sponsors include Bromford Group, Cotswold District Council, Lord Bathurst, Cirencester Development Trust and O2 ‘Think Big’, but more are now needed.

Cirencester Town Council’s Christmas chalets have been donated for stall-holders to hire out.

And the town council’s youth team has supported the young people in organising the event, which is expected to attract around 10,000 visitors over the summer weekend.

Bromford and town council youth worker, Clare Bartlett, said: “The young people are really enthusiastic about this whole project. They want to make Cirencester a better place for everyone.

“Watching them grow and actually change their outlook on wanting to achieve something for the town and the community has impressed me the most.”

Youth councillor Alice Turnley said: "Our main aim was to bridge a gap between the generations and music is a great way of doing that. I'm really looking forward to seeing it all in action."

The young people are now appealing for more businesses to come forward to offer sponsorship and raffle prizes for the festival.

Clare added: “They are the next generation of Cirencester residents and if we don’t invest in them and help their ideas become a reality who else will."

Volunteers are also needed to help run the event.

Contact Clare on 07709 485557 or email clarebartlett@bromford.co.uk to find out more.