A FREE family-friendly fair will be the first event of its kind to take place at Horseshoe Common as part of this year's Arts By The Sea festival.

Circus Folly Fair, instigated by Bournemouth Town Centre BID, takes place on the final day of the festival on October 6 from 12noon – 5.30 pm.

Visitors will be treated to a variety of free family-friendly entertainment plus an array of local food.

Entertainment will feature choirs and musicians as well as roaming creatures, courtesy of Shademakers, one of Europe’s leading carnival groups. Renowned for their kinetic structures which combine costumes and puppetry, their circus runaway themed creature creations, from cuddly pandas to fierce but friendly tigers, will be wowing and surprising those at the fair with a series of pop-up performances.

Also, for the first time in Bournemouth, restaurants on Old Christchurch Road will be collaborating to run a ‘smart service’ using tablets. This will enable fair-goers to order food from local restaurants at the fair which will then be delivered to them to be enjoyed without having to miss the fun and excitement on Horseshoe Common.

Paul Kinvig, of Bournemouth Town Centre BID said:

“Horseshoe Common is an ideal community space for an event like this. We have been working with businesses on Old Christchurch Road for some time and their support and enthusiasm towards putting on this spectacle has been fantastic.

"Circus Folly Fair is going to be a fantastic family day out – with plenty of surprises in store to excite people of all ages – and the first event in conjunction with the Upper Old Christchurch Road Quarter group!

Circus Folly Fair takes place on October 6, from 12noon to 5.30 pm, on Horseshoe Common leading to the culmination of Arts By The Sea 2018, with this year’s closing parade Circus Folly: A Night Carnival.

For more information on Arts By The Sea visit artsbythesea.co.uk