Holt Festival, North Norfolk’s annual feast of arts and culture is just around the corner and this year it kicks off with a big new family weekend of free events for all.

Starting Saturday 20 July Gresham’s Pre-Prep field in the town centre will become a hive of activity and fun between 10am and 4pm.

Experienced UEFA coaches Peter Reeve and Darren Gill will lead football coaching sessions featuring fun games, mini matches and skills training for ages 5-9 and 10+.

Youngsters can try their hand at creative writing under the tutelage of scriptwriter, poet, and actor James McDermott, or if movement is your thing Kelly Marie Such of True Motion Dance will be running sessions to teach the basics of street dance.

Artist and sculptor Kate Munro will be help children to be creative and make a mini window hanging to take home and impress their parents.

Everyone will be fascinated by singer-songwriter Paul Thompson’s amazing eco-friendly milk float stage and studio, whilst participants in his workshops will get the chance to write and record their very own song.

Art lovers should head to the Art Car Boot, at Lees Yard and beyond, between 11am and 5pm. Artists and craftsmen – including internationally renowned pop artist Colin Self – will be selling their own original work. The Holt Festival Art Trail also opens today with exhibitions in 10 galleries around the town.

The free fun continues on Sunday 21 July. From 12 noon the Street Feast brings a range of delicious food to Holt High Street and there’ll be music from Holt Vinyl Vaults and the Cromer Soul Club.

Then from 3 ‘til 6pm it’s time to take your picnic to Gresham’s Pre-Prep field where there’s lots of fun to be had with entertainment from The Banana Ukulele Band, Maynard Flip Flap, Amy Finegan’s storytelling for younger children, traditional games, street dance and a performance from Holt Community Choir.

Holt Festival Artistic Director Anwen Hurt said ‘I do hope that lots of people will join us for the children’s workshops and entertainment over the weekend. We really wanted to make sure that the Festival has events that everyone can attend to include the whole town in the festival – and the best way to do that is to make them free. The workshops are suitable for a range of ages and we want to rekindle a real sense of community on the Sunday with people picnicking on the field and enjoying the free shows’.

The main Holt Festival runs from 21 – 27 July. For full details, workshop times along with details of all Festival events visit www.holtfestival.org