A SOUTHAMPTON community is stepping back in time to celebrate 50 years of city status with a vintage festival on Sunday, June 22.

Visitors to Bedford Place will be dressing up in retro clothing marking the year Southampton became a city, as well as commemorating the 70th anniversary of D-Day and the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War.

Ice cream stalls, a pop-up bar and a range of vintage clothing and accessory stalls will be set up in Bedford Place car park by independent businesses from the area from 10am to 4pm.

Dancers will also be performing the Lindy Hop, and the Still Moving DJs will be playing records from the mid 20th century on gramophones.

Petrolheads interested in old vehicles can enjoy seeing the original Saints bus from when they won the 1976 FA Cup Final.

Vintage Lambretta and Vespa scooters will also be there, with two of those originally appearing in the cult British film Quadrophenia.

Children can take advantage of a petting farm and Hampshire Farmers’ Market will be setting up stalls in Bedford Place car park for the first time.

To accommodate the festival Bedford Place will be closed from the junction with Wilton Avenue to the junction with Canton Street, along with Bedford Place car park. Access will be provided to both those roads.

Co-organiser Shay Harris, of Shay Harris bridal store, said: “It’s going to be fantastic. We are really excited about it. I think it’s important to shout that we are here while the city moves further towards the waterfront.”

As well as traders setting up stalls in the city centre, Bedford Place Heritage Project and the Alyce Hawkins Bedford Place Map Project will also be putting on displays showing memories of the place.