A TOWN is about to explode into life with fireworks, dancing, theatre and street fun.

Stockton International Riverside Festival (Sirf), one of Europe's biggest street theatre festivals and the biggest in region, will start tomorrow evening when a circus troupe arrives by boat followed by a major trapeze performance on a massive 368 bamboo structure by the riverside.

It will be a dramatic start to the 28th annual festival, which is free, and acts will range from quirky street theatre performances to huge productions.

This year’s event is to be opened officially by Sir Peter Bazalgette, chairman of Arts Council England, as a recognition of the increasing importance of Sirf as acts make the journey north to the Edinburgh Fringe.

Stockton Borough Council is also pushing the festival this year after spending more than £20m on the refurbishing the once run down High Street.

This year's theme is Instant Light, which is title of a story commissioned from Sara Maitland, a novelist and fellow at Durham University. The story, commissioned by Stockton Borough Council, is about 19th Century Stockton chemist John Walker, inventor of the friction match, and his fateful meeting with a circus performer called Vesta on Stockton High Street. The story provides an overall theme for the big acts at the festival and offers a mythical account about the origins of Sirf.

Other highlights include flying machines, a ballet performed every night depicting the meeting of John Walker and Vesta and the festival will end with with a performance by French company Cie Carabosse on Trinity Green which will transform the Trinity Church and Trinity Gardens into “an immersive garden of fire, light and music on a grand scale”.

Councillor Norma Wilburn, Stockton Council’s cabinet member for Arts, Leisure and Culture, said: “These are just a few of the highlights of this year’s Sirf which celebrates the redevelopment of Stockton Town Centre with spectacular street theatre, dance and music productions from all around the world.

“With more than 100 incredible shows the Town Centre will be packed with free things to see and do. Make sure you plan your weekend and make the most of the fantastic street art and outdoor theatre on your doorstep.”

To see the latest news and full festival programme, log on to sirf.co.uk