The eventual relaxation of restrictions and increase in Covid vaccination uptake meant that more events could go ahead up and down the country this year and Northampton was no exception to this.
With the town's businesses opening back up came the iconic return of the Northampton Town Festival, the County Beer Festival, Pride and so much more. Many of these events were highly anticipated this year as they had to be cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Let's take a look back at some of the happiest times Northampton residents shared together in 2021:
1. Bite Street
The popular Northampton street food pop-up took the town by storm throughout the summer with incredibly fortnightly events that offered an array of street food and drinks. There were also themed weekends including Burger Street and Smoke Street and they have helped to raise hundreds of pounds for Northampton General Hospital.
2. Northampton's Race for Life
Race for Life returned to Northampton in August with its 10K event and the Pretty Muddy race. Hundreds of people jogged, walked, ran, laughed and smiled their way around the course in Abington Park in a bid to raise as much money as possible for Cancer Research UK.
3. Party in the Park
Abington Park played host to several tribute acts for some of the world's best known artists over the August bank holiday weekend. From ABBA, to Oasis and The Beatles, there was music on offer for the whole family to enjoy.
4. The Not So Civil War
Residents got the chance to experience Northampton' s turbulent past before their very eyes at Delapré Abbey, where the site came alive with a a full historic drill display on the South Lawn complete with cavalry and cannons. Families got to interact with 17th century surgeons, cooks, gravediggers, midwives, gardeners as they went about their day-to-day activities so people could learn how they cooked, worked and cut off limbs.