A YOUTH festival in Andover celebrated its ninth year on Sunday, May 21, with a jam-packed event. 

A-Fest featured a variety of activities and events for young people and their families, including arts and crafts, sports, performances, and more.

A-Fest is organised by Chat Together CIC, a local organisation that works to promote youth engagement in Andover, with support from Test Valley Borough Council, Hampshire County Council, Andover Town Council and the National Lottery.

There were five themed zones at the event, each with a range of activities and experiences for young people and their families. The zone areas were Get Involved, The Performance zone, Identity and Self zone, Health and Well-being and also an Arts and Craft zone.

Dmitrijs Meiksans, co-organiser of the festival, said: “I thought the entire event went really well. We had a diverse range of people who attended the festival, and everyone was really excited about the Get Involved zone.

"We had good footfall on the day, which is footfall that would be appreciated by not just us, but also the community in the town and store holders. It was a great event for local businesses and the local community."

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Although official figures for the number of people who attended A-Fest are currently unknown, co-organiser Katherine Bird said it was thought attendance was similar to that of A-Fest in 2022.

Katherine said: “It was a very busy day, we tried a new format with our themed zones which people who attended seemed to really enjoy and take to. I would like to thank everyone who was involved in the day.

"It wouldn't have been made possible without amazing support right across Andover, from those involved in A-Fest to those who attended. Events like these bring the community together and show the amazing support we are so fortunate to have."