HAT Fair audiences will be treated to a play on a giant rotating crane and the story of one man's mission to set up an international space agency in his garden shed this weekend.

Wired Aerial Theatre performing To Me, To You on the crane and How I Hacked My Way Into Space by Unlimited Theatre will be among 40 acts and activities at 17 venues at the longest running festival of outdoor arts, now in its 43rd year.

Headline shows at the event, which gets under way today and continues until Sunday, include the world premiere of Silence from the Polish company Teatr Biuro Podrozy, featuring physical theatre, fire, puppetry and music in a show about refugees.

Dance piece Corazon a Corazon marks the 50th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales and fuses ground and aerial performance, tango and British Sign Language.

Audiences can enjoy life-size arcade games in The Actual Reality Arcade or help construct a giant straw-like structure and then climb through it in Stalker Teatro's Steli. High level acrobatics, circus, variety and comedy combine in explosive performances by Quatuor Stomp, pictured, where the roll of a dice determines which acts will be part of the show.

Other highlights of the event, which brings around 60,000 visitors to Winchester each year, include re-imagining the city from the top of a multi-storey car park in Lookout, reflections on love and life in Landed and a specially devised piece from Blue Apple Theatre, a company working with learning disabled actors.

Today and Saturday, Hat Fair takes over the streets of Winchester and the Cathedral grounds. There are dozens of events to surprise and entertain visitors: children can step inside a giant bird’s nest, a Tea Party will get soaked with 200 litres of water, jukeboxes will spring to life, visitors will be playing street pianos and the moon becomes the subject of an immersive performance that surrounds the audience with sound and vision.

Students from the University Of Winchester will take over The Brooks Shopping centre for the Hat Fair Fringe Festival. There will be a children’s area in the Cathedral grounds. On Sunday the People’s Stage features local acts as part of a giant picnic at Oram’s Arbour. Performing on all three days will be traditional ‘Hatters’ from around the world including Felicity Footloose, Quatuor Stomp and Fraser Hooper.

The festival of outdoor arts starts at midday with the traditional schools parade and ends with a family picnic day at Oram’s Arbour on Sunday.

Visit hatfair.co.uk for more details.