So much fun for all in store at festival
IT is going to be packed, it is going to be exciting and there’s lot’s to see at this year’s Stockton International Riverside Festival.
The family friendly free event kicks off today and runs to Sunday, August 7.
There’s loads going on – here’s a quick guide to some of the biggest events and what to watch out for across the weekend.
The SIRF website can also point you to more information on getting there and parking if you are heading to Stockton to enjoy the fun.
New for this year is a festival food village serving up lots of food and drink.
Called SIRF Green, you can find it at the corner of Bishop Street and Thistle Green with flavours to suit every taste.
THURSDAY
The opening night promises a spectacular acrobatic show with explosions of colour high above the crowds. Gratte Ciel’s large scale spectacle Totem starts at 7.30pm at the Riverside.
Harmonic Fields at Tees Barrage is an installation of 500 wind instruments deigned to create a unique musical experience for audiences to navigate.
It runs across the weekend, 1pm7pm and is free.
There are 36 shows, performances and events running across SIRF on Friday.
Madame Zucchini and her Amazing Vegetable Entertainment promises family fun across shows held at the Parish Gardens.
You can watch her unique world where vegetables – and sometimes fruit – are the stars of the show, with characters like Leek Skywalker, Darth Tater, Justin Timberleek and Cresstina Aguilera and at the end of each day watch a new eco-themed veg puppet show “The Veg Avengers save Beanworld!” starring Spudderman, Thortichoke and leafy ecowarrior Greta Iceberg. This show will have a BSL interpreter present.
The Invisible Man will be on walkabout through the High Street – if you can spot him, that is.
You can witness the mysterious scientist and learn more about how he came to (not) be.
String and Strong’s Great Big Game-a-thon is also on walkabout through the High Street and promises anarchic fun and ‘Old Skool’ games with a little help from parents and children.
SATURDAY
Another 36 performances and activities are on the programme.
Godzilla Town in the Parish Gardens, various times starting at noon, is a 10m x 10m model city set out in the form of a maze.
Envol is a fire show at Tees Barrage, 9.30pm, that promises a journey through dance, music and fire.
SUNDAY
There are 23 performances and activities to choose from on Sunday including the ever popular community carnival.
Stockton Carnival returns to the High Street with a parade starting at 2pm which includes hundreds of young people, adults, community members, musicians and street performers dancing and singing in a sea of colour and music.
The vibrant procession will then make its way through the town centre to the Riverside where celebrations will continue throughout the day with a programme full of live music, dance, family entertainment.
Million Dollar Mermaids can be found at the Town Hall and Fountain area with a fun and family friendly show with a vintage twist and a comedic nod to the days of Hollywood. First performance 2.30pm.
Time Machine Disco at the Riverside starts at 4.15pm promising a clubbing journey through the ages.
Mobil Homme brings SIRF 2022 to a close with a line of vibrant drummers and a giant sized mobile lifting in to the sky to showcase a trapeze performance followed by a burst of pyrotechnics, 9.30pm at the Riverside.