Weekends like these show that it's not time to craft a headstone for Sheffield's high streets yet
From celebrations of our Armed Forces to truly crazy races, the city is still going strong
A jam-packed summer weekend has helped highlight just how strong Sheffield’s community can be, as hundreds came out to enjoy everything the city has to offer.
On Saturday and Sunday, June 20 and 21, the people of Sheffield were spoiled for choice with how to enjoy the sun.
First there was Armed Forces and Veterans Day, with a parade, live performances and activities for all the family right outside town hall.
Then, across the city in Neepsend, Kelham Pride was going strong once again with a great turnout and showstopping performances from Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK-winning talent at the third annual event.
Finally, to top it all off, the city’s first Krazy Races saw soapbox cars weaving through Barkers Pool and Fargate in what proved to be a truly captivating and unique event for the city.
And best of all, it was all free.
There have been plenty of discussions over recent years about the death of the high street, as online retailers take trade away from more traditional shops and city centres are left with lower levels of footfall.
Sheffield is no exception to this, as buildings like Debenhams on The Moor have remained abandoned for years, while potholes and parking woes only exacerbate the city’s issues.
But this weekend goes to show that the council’s ongoing regeneration projects might finally be bearing fruit, as the updated and pedestrianised Fargate offers a perfect space for events both new and old to take place.
Meanwhile, the trendy Kelham Island continues to remain a stronghold for local businesses, with the now-annual Pride event offering hundreds of visitors ready to sample the nearby bars and restaurants.
Speaking at Pride, South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard told The Star: “It’s brilliant.
“I pay tribute to the organisers because I know how much effort and work goes into running this event - it is a huge undertaking to put something like this on.
“But everybody benefits. The whole of Sheffield, the whole of South Yorkshire, just that feeling you get of excitement, of happiness, of people enjoying themselves, is a lovely feeling right here in the heart of Kelham, in the heart of Sheffield.”
Others seemed to agree with this sentiment, commenting on videos published by The Star across the weekend, saying that the Armed Forces celebration made for an “absolutely beautiful day” and that it was “nice to see town so busy” for the Krazy Races.
Online shopping isn’t going anywhere, so people are going to have to come up with more innovative options to get people back out onto city streets.
Sheffield is a long way away from a perfect solution, and there’s still many issues that need addressing, but what’s been shown this weekend is that the city’s heart is still beating strong.