THE beautiful, bizarre and bonkers is soon to descend on Winchester as the UK's longest-running street arts festival returns for another year.
Hat Fair will see 224 performances across three days in more than 30 locations in the city, including workshops, installations and jaw-dropping performances.
In time-honoured tradition 300 schoolchildren from nine local schools will launch the festivities with the schools parade, from Abbey Gardens.
Expect bright costumes and banners - the parade's theme is birds of paradise.
The organisers are urging people to be prepared to be surprised.
The festival's biggest ever participatory event, Swingtime, will see every venue on July 4 burst into dance at the same time, creating a flash-mob. The dance is inspired by 1930s Hollywood stars Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
Hat Fair runs from July 3-5.
The full programme was published in June 18's Hampshire Chronicle, and is also available online at hatfair.co.uk.
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