Oh we do like to be beside the waterside!

FUN FOR ALL THE FAMILY AT WEEKEND FEST

THERE’S two days of waterside family fun to be had in the city this weekend.

The Splash on the Soar festival begins today and will feature free activities on and off the river that people of all ages can enjoy.

There will be live music and street performers in Castle Gardens, and the city council’s Greenlife boat will be offering views of Leicester from the water.

On both days, local bands will be playing acoustic sets on the stage near the maypole in Castle Gardens, with talented youngsters from Stars Performing Arts School opening the programme at noon today and The King Brasstards bringing the festival to a close with their New Orleans sound at 4pm tomorrow.

The festival runs from noon until 6pm today, and noon to 5pm tomorrow.

Strolling street artists, including a pair of cheeky girl guides and some balloon-modelling clowns, will bring pockets of fun to the festival, while a bubble fairy will use her wand to capture passers-by inside a giant bubble.

Youngsters will also be able to slide down an inflatable helter-skelter and check out their muscles on an inflatable “test your strength” game. There will also be the chance to watch archive footage of Britain’s waterways in a pop-up cinema, while a petting zoo will give children the chance to get close to rabbits, guinea pigs, meerkats, snakes, cockroaches and other creepy-crawlies. Food and a bar will be available in the area in front of the castle, while artists will display their works on the railings in Castle Gardens. Deputy city mayor Councillor Piara Singh Clair said: “Splash on the Soar will be a family-friendly waterside festival that we hope people will enjoy.

“With Covid infection rates still high, all our events this year have been of a much smaller scale to ensure they can be run safely, but I hope that this festival will encourage people who live in the area to get out and about and explore the city’s waterside.” Admission is free, but there will be a small charge for boat trips.

I hope this festival will encourage people to get out and about and explore the waterside

Piara Singh Clair