FOUR days of free entertainment will celebrate the arts across the city of Salisbury and launch Wiltshire Creative’s first season of programming.

With live music, fireworks, street theatre and crafts, the Lift Off! Weekend runs over the August bank holiday from Friday, August 24 to Monday 27 at Salisbury Arts Centre, Salisbury Playhouse and in the city’s streets.

Kicking-off the weekend will be Picnic in the Close with live music from The Deloreans and Just Us, followed by fireworks.in the Cathedral Close from 7pm on Friday, August 24.

On Saturday and Sunday 25 and 26 August there will be theatre performances at Salisbury Playhouse performed by community groups including Stage 65 Youth Theatre, Jigsaw Dance Company, Mind the Gap, Dance Six-0 and Zone Arts.

On the same two days a Family Fiesta will run at Salisbury Arts Centre featuring a variety of arts and craft activities for all the family, and ticketed concert PUSH will be at St. Thomas’s Church on Saturday starting 5pm and 8pm.

On the Sunday and Monday there will be street theatre from Without Walls at various locations in the city centre including the Guildhall Square, Old George Mall and the Maltings.

Street theatre will come from Candoco Dance Company, Max Calaf Sevé, Ockham’s Razor, A Bird in the Hand Theatre, Rosie Kay Dance Company and Travelling Light Circus.

Also on Sunday and Monday, Tangled Feet will perform Boots on the Ground to commemorate the First World War.

An Arts Quest will be in place all weekend, with original Harry Potter book illustrator Cliff Wright holding a free workshop at Salisbury Library, and on Saturday, local artist Sarah Walters will show people how to make felt.

Wiltshire Creative Artistic Director Gareth Machin said: “Lift Off! will be a free party for the whole city, a celebration of this creative city and the new organisation as we open the doors for our first season of work.”

Full details of the activities and events will be available on wiltshirecreative.co.uk