There’ll be dancing in the streets as this year’s Canterbury Festival returns to the city this weekend with a full-on two-week programme of theatre and stage acts, family-friendly fun and interesting and informative talks.

Kent’s International Arts Festival takes place at venues across the city, including Canterbury Cathedral, the Marlowe Theatre, Kent College’s newly-built Great Hall and the touring Salon Perdu Spiegeltent, and aims to inspire and entertain.

This year’s festival kicks off with a parade on Saturday, October 19, when the walk through the city will celebrate 50 years since the Apollo Moon Landing.

Watch or join in the parade as it makes its way up the High Street and into Whitefriars, followed by free pop-up performances in and around Whitefriars, Longmarket and Rose Square.

The festival's centrepiece is the Spiegeltent, next to the River Stour, an elaborate Big Top-style performance space in a tent.

Following the parade, the performance programme kicks in, and includes the Spiegeltent hosting an Anifest Workshop: Design a Minion, when younger visitors can discuss cartoon character design and then put their ideas into practice by drawing their own Minion character.

Innovative British singer-songwriter, and two-time MOBO award winner, Laura Mvula, visits Canterbury for a special festival performance. She plays the Marlowe Theatre on Wednesday, October 23, and there are some tickets left.

There’s a tasty view on science from The Cocktail Laboratory with an 18s and over mixology evening on Sunday, October 20 at The Ballroom, with a range of science-inspired cocktails and tips on cocktail-making.

From Sunday, October 20 to Sunday, October 27 during half term there’s something for all ages with silly songs, space adventures and a comedy club.

Shows range from The Genetics of Superheroes on Sunday, October 20 with Simon Watts to the Adriamus Ensemble in the Spiegeltent for Tales of Adriamus, musical games and storytelling and Chicken Licken on Wednesday, October 23, promising perfect lunchtime family entertainment.

DETAILS

The Canterbury Festival opens on Saturday, October 19 and runs through to Saturday, November 2. To see the full programme and book tickets go to canterburyfestival.co.uk

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