A world-renowned arts festival is hitting the streets of a North East town - and it starts today (Friday, August 2).
Stockton International Riverside Festival (SIRF24), which runs until Sunday (August 4) SIRF24 is bringing some of the finest street theatre, dance, music, and arts from across the globe, with more than 120 performances and 750 participants over three days.
Attracting tens of thousands of people to the town each year, those attending will be entertained by spectacular large-scale shows as well as many small, intimate experiences.
There are shows, installations, workshops, and many more things to see and do, with the family’s favourite Community Carnival returning on Sunday - and it’s all free to enjoy.
There will also be a whole host of family-friendly fun activities with all the action starting at about 1pm each day.
For the first time in many years, the festival will primarily be located on the High Street because of the town’s major developments along the Riverside where the festival traditionally positioned itself. Other venues include Parish Gardens and SIRF Green (Bishop Street Car Park)
There will also be food stalls open in Bishop Street Car Park from noon to 10.30pm every day, selling everything from pizza, sweet treats, and Indian and Korean street food with specialty drinks.
The festival launch show is 9.30pm today (Friday), and sees Mécanique Vivante returning to the UK for the first time in 35 years to thrill audiences with their musical inventions and dream machines - featuring two phenomenal structures made from former air raid sirens.
Councillor Steve Nelson, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Leisure, and Culture, said: “With thousands of people expected to visit SIRF across the three days, now’s the time to plan your festival to make the most of your experience.
“Take a look at this year’s programme and choose which of the fabulous range of acts you’d like to see, which of the tasty food stalls are tempting you, and plan your journey for a relaxed experience. And remember to keep tuned to our social media accounts for news and up-to-date information throughout the week.”
The festival has a proud history of supporting disabled and disabled-friendly artists by offering a range of services to help people with disabilities access performance sites and accessible viewing areas.
This year there are a number of shows that will have British Sign Language interpreters present or feature integrated BSL within performances.
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Be sure to follow the festival's social media on Facebook, X, and Instagram to keep up with any changes.
Use the #SIRF24 hashtag on your posts from the festival and you could see them featured online.
Visitors are encouraged to walk or cycle into town or use public transport wherever possible. Some town centre car parks are closed during the festival, for those visitng by car
For more information, visit the SIRF website HERE
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