Circus acts, face painting, crafts and festival activities have been taking place across the streets of County Durham this month, and it will be the turn of Bishop Auckland next Friday.
Durham County Council is running a series of free festival-style events across the county’s main towns throughout March, as part of a bid to get people visiting and enjoying their high streets.
Each weekend this month has seen fun activities descend upon a different town centre, where people can enjoy a variety of entertainment including circus performances and workshops, walkabout acts, craft workshops and face painting.
In some areas there will also be an outdoor performance ring, a stage and seating, grass street furniture, pop-up marquees, a climbing wall and crazy golf.
The street festival kicked off with events in Shildon and Seaham at start of the month, with the next to take place in Bishop Auckland Market Place on Friday 25 March from 4.30pm to 8.30pm.
Some of the performers will include Pancho Libre (Mexico), Felicity Footloose and fire act Adam Banach (Poland)
There will be roaming entertainment with Rimski and Pocket and some stilt walkers.
The events have been organised with Welcome Back Fund (WBF) money from the Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities, which invited councils to apply to support the safe return of people to high streets following the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
The WBF builds on the Re-opening High Streets Safely Fund, which was allocated to councils in 2020 to put in place additional measures to create and promote a safe environment for local trade and tourism, particularly in high streets as their economies reopen.
The events support the county’s current bid for UK City of Culture 2025.
If successful, the bid will mean more opportunities to bring exciting events to towns and communities across the county.
Bishop Auckland's local community newspaper.
