CHILDREN have been hard at work creating vibrant and colourful costumes for the upcoming Stockton International Riverside Festival (SIRF) Community Carnival.

More than 60 pupils from The Glebe Primary School in Norton took part in a carnival workshop led by artist Morwenna Catt who splits her time between Norway and the UK whose portfolio includes work for English Heritage and Emergency Exit Arts.

Between noon and 4.30pm on Saturday, August 5, visitors to SIRF will be able to take in the stunning spectacle as the carnival celebrate 30 years of the festival in style.

The ‘Fizz, Pop, Bang! Happy Birthday’ theme will see schools, young people, community groups, musicians, dancers and circus enthusiasts donning their finest costumes and getting into the party spirit to celebrate in the way that only Stockton knows how.

Councillor Norma Wilburn, Stockton Borough Council’s cabinet member for arts, leisure and culture, said: “SIRF Community Carnival is the largest celebration of its kind in the region and it takes on an even more special feel this year as we mark the thirtieth birthday of the festival.

“It will be the perfect opportunity to give our community a carnival that is as colourful and vibrant as it has ever been and I am really looking forward to seeing it in full flow in Stockton Town Centre.”

  • For more information on the full programme of this year’s festival, visit www.sirf.co.uk