A festival of books, ideas and inspirations comes back to Stowmarket, bringing an escape from reality and a lot of unforgettable experiences to all the participants.

At the Primadonna Festival, everybody will find something interesting, including film, music, comedy, food, drink, DJs and therapies, alongside the main programme of talks, interviews and discussions.

East Anglian Daily Times: Primadonna Festival, Stowmarket 2021Primadonna Festival, Stowmarket 2021 (Image: Leo Cackett)

The event founded in 2019 is organised by a group of seventeen women who aimed to create a festival that gives prominence to women, people of colour, LGBTQI+, working-class people, and the disabled.

East Anglian Daily Times: Primadonna Primadonna Festival, Stowmarket 2021Primadonna Primadonna Festival, Stowmarket 2021 (Image: Leo Cackett)

Primadonna Festival promotes the community power and creates a space for all kinds of writers, readers, anyone interested in ideas and those who just want to have a lot of fun.

Catherine Riley, the director of Primadonna Festival and Prize, said: “Festival participants should expect a ton of fun! Primadonna is all about escaping the everyday and having amazing encounters that will inspire you, excite you or just make you laugh.

East Anglian Daily Times: Primadonna Festival, Stowmarket 2021Primadonna Festival, Stowmarket 2021 (Image: Leo Cackett)

“The setting is beautiful, and we've lined up some brilliant people to talk about everything from pop music to the Black Panther movie, Instagram to Irish politics. You can sit down, chill out and listen – to talks as well as fantastic music – or you can stay on your feet and dance, take part in promenading theatre, or just eat your way around our delicious food market. There really is something for everyone.

East Anglian Daily Times: Primadonna Festival, Stowmarket 2021Primadonna Festival, Stowmarket 2021 (Image: Leo Cackett)

“In particular we platform artists and writers that aren't mainstream, as well as our big names, so that you get to find out the next big thing in world music, or the next big name in publishing. There are surprises round every corner.”

The highlights of the festival include, among others, a talk with La Roux (Elly Jackson) about her career, life in the paparazzi lens, and the problems of being a figurehead in a world that refuses nuance.

East Anglian Daily Times: Primadonna Festival, Stowmarket 2021Primadonna Festival, Stowmarket 2021 (Image: Leo Cackett)

Viv Groskop will record an episode of her award-winning “How To Own The Room” podcast live at the festival.

Author and broadcaster Symeon Brown will host a discussion on influencer culture with Alice Sherwood, the author of the new book Authenticity, and influencers Alex Light and Natalie Lee, aka StyleMeSunday.

East Anglian Daily Times: Primadonna Festival, Stowmarket 2021Primadonna Festival, Stowmarket 2021 (Image: Leo Cackett)

Tickets for this year’s Primadonna festival, which takes place from July 29 to 31 in Stowmarket, Suffolk are available online.

East Anglian Daily Times: Primadonna Festival, Stowmarket 2021Primadonna Festival, Stowmarket 2021 (Image: Leo Cackett)