THE first Saltaire Festival was held in 2003 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Sir Titus Salt and the 150th anniversary of the opening of the great mill back in 1853.

Like Topsy the festival has just ‘growed and growed’ with more than 50,000 people flocking to see more than 100 attractions during the course of the ten-day festival last year.

For the opening weekend the historic streets and gardens have become the backdrop for a poignant promenade drama – Not About Heroes – which explores the effects of the First World War on the people of West Yorkshire.

Family activities are the focus of this weekend and includes dance performances and activities aimed at children in Roberts Park, a beer festival in Victoria Hall, pop up events in peoples’ houses, You can enjoy The Wizard of Oz on the tram and in the yards and gardens the Open Gardens Sculpture Trail will showcase sculpture, ceramics and glass by local artists.

A major event today and tomorrow is the Makers Fair Festival in Victoria Hall, a showcase of original items from contemporary artists to designers working in ceramics, jewellery, glass, silver, metal, books, paper, leather, wood, plastics, furniture, fashion textiles and accessories, interior textiles printmaking and photography.

On Tuesday the pop up cinema will be showing Darjeeling Limited, with festival comedy night on Wednesday and storytelling with music on Thursday For the first time since it began, the festival which starts on Saturday will have a ceilidh in its packed line-up.

The Phoenix Ceilidh Band will be putting people through the moves with Irish and Scottish tunes on fiddles, melodeon, banjo, flute, bouzouki and whistle.

Tony Charnock from the band said: “We’ve got an experienced caller to guide even the most novice of novices through the moves, while providing the chance for the more experienced ceilidh goers to enjoy some of the more unusual dances!”

The aroma of French bread, German sausage and Continental cheeses will be spreading through Saltaire from Friday until Sunday when the Continental Market comes to town. Paella, French cheese, pancakes and Greek salad will be among the delicacies on offer at the market which runs down Exhibition Road, while the tempting smell of pork pies and locally produced jams and preserves will carry on the breeze from Roberts Park.

This market should come with a health warning, because I think I must have put on 3lbs when I visited the huge event last year, sampling all the delights on offer – but that won’t stop me going. The historic streets were packed with families browsing craft and food stalls selling a feast of tasty treats from across Europe, and once we’d made our choice we went back to Roberts Park to relax while taking in the live music and watching amusing street acts, before exploring the stalls selling beatifully designed scarves, handbags and jewellery.

Music on offer next week on the stage in Roberts Park will suit all tastes with bands like the All Star 45s, Twelve Bars from Mars, Last Orders and the Backyard Burners.

Yorkshire Life Aquatic’s all comical dry land synchronised swimming performance of Mermaids will provide a quirky, vintage spectacle in the riverside setting of Roberts Park, where you can also enjoy the ICD Life Boat, which is about slowness, kindness and taking care. It provokes questions with regard to ethics, trade, migration and sustainability.

It is about getting your bearings whilst rocking gently and looking at the world from a slowly changing point of view.

Outside Victoria Hall you will find The Banker’s Progress is 21st Century interpretation of the 18th century itinerant art form, the peepshow and Uncle Tacko’s Imaginarium.

In the Pace Meeting Rooms there will be a weekend of exciting harp music with three innovative professional harpists who have combed forces to create a fun and inspiring weekend of workshops and concerts for all to enjoy.

Put together by a small team of dedicated volunteers the Saltaire Festival is a wonderful amalgamation of sights and sounds to suit everyone.