On Saturday, July 27, the whole county will come together to celebrate Norfolk Day.

The day is a great moment to reflect on what makes the place that we all call home so special: our rich history, our amazing people, and, overall, what a perfect place it is to live.

And I couldn’t agree more; while I am not a Norfolk native, this county is the place that I now truly call home, and that is a special thing.

The county has slowly seeped into my bones and consciousness, and now, as I celebrate the eighth anniversary of my decision to come to Norfolk this week as well, I can say that this county is a part of my DNA.

Those in the know (me included) know that the county is blessed with great scenery – from the coastlines to the broads – food, and wildlife (I had my first visit to the amazing Sweet Briar Marshes last weekend, and how lucky are we in Norwich to have such a beautiful urban wilderness on our doorsteps).

Of course, I would be remiss, not to mention the friendly Norfolk people who have made me feel so very welcome.

The county is also blessed with an amazing variety of creatives.

You have the beloved Nimmo Twins, who have been making the county laugh for more than 25 years with jokes that are quintessentially Norfolk.

You also have theatre companies such as Limbik and an array of local amateur theatre companies, such as the Norfolk and Norwich Operatic Society, who have commanded national attention this year with their participation in the Let The People Sing Les Misérables project, that call the county home.

On top of all that, just walking through the city of Norwich, you will see street artists, musicians, and singers performing for the shoppers.

I could go on, but we would literally be here for pages.

What is very clear is that Norfolk is a place where creativity thrives in all its forms. This is evident because not only do we have fantastic locals sharing their creativity with us, but we have started to see the county as a place where creatives from around the UK and the world flock.

They come not just for the city's laid-back vibes, the eclectic scene, or the certain je ne sais quoi that no other place offers. We have become the place where creatives test the waters of new work and hone their crafts to create fantastic performances.

In particular, the fine city of Norwich has become a thriving hub, with shows heading here first even before the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Traditionally, the Fringe is where a show would start its journey and potentially make it big. But it seems this is starting to change, and now maybe Norwich is the place to see things first.

This is something I relish at Norwich Theatre. We love to bring you something before anyone else, and I know our Norfolk audience is more than willing to try something new and trust us to bring them the next big thing so they can say: “I saw it here first”.

With this in mind, next week, the spirit of the Fringe is coming to Norwich Theatre Playhouse with the Festival of New Musicals. The Festival is bringing you three brand new musicals – Come Dine With Me: The Musical; I Wish You Well – The Gwyneth Paltrow Ski-Trial Musical; and SILENCE! The Musical – to the festival.

All three are delightfully silly and outrageously funny and are with us right before they head off to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for their debut!

These are all musicals produced by the brilliant producer Paul Taylor-Mills, who brought you Cake: The Marie Antoinette Playlist and My Son’s A Queer (But What Can You Do?). You may recognise these as shows that Norwich Theatre has proudly had before anyone else.

They are each just an hour long, so they are perfect for the musical fanatic who wants to see all three in one day or over the course of a weekend. In true Playhouse fashion, the bar staff will be bringing the festival spirit with themed cocktails and a food truck, so you don’t need to worry that you will miss the next show.

It is a pleasure and joy to see these shows and artists finding their creative home right here in the place that I love so much. But what is better is that we can offer our local audiences something as unique as our beautiful county.

Festival of New Musicals at Norwich Theatre Playhouse is on between July 23-27. For more information or to book, visit norwichtheatre.org or call the Box Office on 01603 630 000.

Stephen Crocker is CEO of Norwich Theatre