From Thursday 3rd to Sunday 6th August, Stockton’s streets will come alive with street theatre, dance, music and outdoor arts as the 36th Stockton International Riverside Festival (SIRF) returns to Stockton-on-Tees.
This family-friendly extravaganza of entertainment kicks off at SIRF Green on Thursday evening with a special Alive after Five welcome party on Stockton High Street from 5pm to get you warmed up for the weekend! Expect live performances from The Dead Seat and Old Time Rags, plus a healthy dose of tomfoolery from 16rpm. Grab your tea from a range of food and drink traders, and check out street performances from Akademi, Unlimited Theatre, Upswing and 2Faced Dance.
This year’s official launch show is the spectacular Perceptions by French street theatre company Bivouac, which takes place at 7pm on Friday 4th, with a repeat performance on Saturday night at 9.30pm. Throughout Friday and Saturday visitors can enjoy a jam-packed daytime programme including Hikapee’s high energy circus theatre show and Tit for Tat’s Books, which are both perfect for the whole family.
A real spectacle of the event is the amazing Community Carnival on Sunday 6th, the party moves from the High Street to Trinity Green, where there will be lots on offer for families, children and young people including carnival workshops.
Music fans should head along to The Georgian Theatre and The Green Room on Saturday 5th to check out sets from local aritsts Common Courtesy, Coral Snake, Haunted Hair, Blackout The Arcade and Seventh Heaven (in the Georgian) and Pave The Jungle, Ward, Charlotte Grayson, Parissa Zarifi and Mary Elizabeth Webb (in the Green Room).