Festival fever is on its way to Stockton. Karen McLauchlan gets a preview of plans for this year’s Stockton International Riverside Festival - and looks at some of the borough’s other big events.

SPECTACULAR high flying acrobats, fantastic fireworks and the cream of UK and overseas street entertainers - and that’s just part of the line-up for this year’s SIRF.

The Stockton International Riverside Festival will turn the town into a blaze of colour, music and performance from Thursday, August 4 to Sunday, August 7.

Now in its 24th year, SIRF has been welcoming artists and street theatre companies from around the world since 1988.

For 2011’s spectacle there will be a finale premiere, a performance on the river plus the chance for local people to shape a key part of the festivities - the Community Carnival.

While the festival is still four months away, Jan Doherty, arts development manager at Stockton Council, said work was well under way for this year’s offering.

And some “spectacular” performances are set to wow the crowds.

“Our finale this year is a piece called Muare by Argentinian company Voala.

“We’re still working out where the show will be based in the town, but it’s a very exciting piece which will have its premiere at SIRF.

“It’s a performance that’s been re-modelled for SIRF and you won’t be able to see it anywhere else in the UK this year. It will go on tour in 2012.”

High-flying show Voala revolves around a giant kaleidoscope mobile suspended over 30 metres over the audience within which performers carry out a series of spectacular choreography accompanied by a rock band.

Inspired by the Op-Art, Voala Project tries to capture a sense of time where the future looks exciting and art and science go hand in hand.

“The kaleidoscope mobile is really colourful and the music uplifting,” added Jan.

“There will also be fantastic pyrotechnics as part of the show.”