What to see at the big launch day

Here’s the planned timetable of events: Urban Freeflow City Park Mirror Pool: 2pm, 3:30pm, 5:30pm Breathtaking parkour freerunning by the most experienced international team in the world. Watch the athletes perform incredible flips, spins, vaults and precision jumps around City Park’s benches, walls and buildings.

Mind the Gap Theatre: Chicken Coup City Park Mirror Pool: 2:30pm, 4:15pm, 5:30pm Mind the Gap, Bradford’s award-winning theatre, perform their newest, family-friendly, street theatre piece. Thrilling chase scenes, riotous slapstick, general silliness and lots of fowl language in this strut-about festival piece.

Artizani: Lobster A la Carte & Dance of the Lobsters City Park Mirror Pool: 2:15pm, 5:45pm, 3:45pm Quirky street theatre from Artizani, a UK arts company specialising in spectacular theatre performed in unconventional spaces.

Jamba Community Samba Band City Park Mirror Pool: 2:15pm, 3:30pm, 5:30pm Uplifting samba/reggae/Latin compositions from Keighley’s original percussion band.

Circo Rum BaBa: Dress Circle City Park Mirror Pool: 3pm, 5:30pm An enormous woman with sumptuously brocaded child-bearing hips glides around sharing a little social tittle-tattle with the audience. At last she chooses to stop, the orchestra from beneath her petticoats tunes up and with great aplomb, her skirts open to reveal a full theatre and a series of theatrical surprises.

Wrong Size City Park Mirror Pool: 4pm, 5pm, 7pm An exquisite collection of stilt-walking characters from the sublime sculptural Stalkers to beautifully-illuminated Lightwalkers.

The Oyster Opera City Park Mirror Pool: 2:30pm, 4:50pm Dressed in fabulous eccentric operatic costumes, they bring the wonderful song and drama of opera right on to the street.

The Dream Engine City Park Mirror Pool: 3:15pm, 4:45pm, 7pm Spiralling and spinning and seemingly weightless, an acrobat suspended beneath a helium balloon explores the uncharted space between street level and rooftops.

Talking Birds Theatre: The Q City Park Mirror Pool: 2:15pm, 3:30pm, 4:45pm A celebration of the art of queuing. In 2012 the world’s attention will be focused on the quality of our queues, and Talking Birds is determined that our nation’s pre-eminence in this field of endeavour receives global recognition.

Talking Birds Theatre: Whale City Park Mirror Pool: 2pm-6pm Enter the jaws of a giant silver whale to be serenaded by a lovesick submariner, and you might leave with a gift from the sea. A three-minute journey for one adventurer at a time (or two if you’re shy).

Skiband City Park Mirror Pool: 2:30pm,3:30pm, 6:15pm Calypso, ska, reggae, funk and pop performed with a serious sense of humour ... the Skiband bring their own irresistible party.

Dixie Deluxe City Park Mirror Pool: 2:45pm, 4pm, 5pm Toe-tapping delights from the local Dixieland masters.

Strangelings: Liver Birds City Park Mirror Pool: 2:45pm, 4:45pm Liverpool’s legendary Liverbirds have come down from their lofty perches to sample life at street level. With their imperious gait, these towering birds make a stir wherever they go.

Stuff and Things/audiObscura/ Impossible party/Post Boxes City Park Mirror Pool Mirror Pool: 2pm, 6:15pm Have you ever wondered why a postbox doesn't smile? Take a peek beyond the ordinary and unwrap the riddle of these interesting installations.

City of Bradford Brass Band City Park Mirror Pool: 4pm Bradford brass band champions at their best.

Dhol Drummers City Park Mirror Pool: 2:15pm, 4:30pm, 6pm Traditional drummers from local dhol masters.

Terry Acoustic, Darren Dunston Bromley, Quiet Rebellion and Chris Martin City Park Mirror Pool: 3pm, 5:45pm, 4:30pm, 3pm – Local solo guitarists.

The Dukes Box City Park Mirror Pool: 2pm to 6:15pm Make your own selection from the truly magnificent mobile musical marvel. Energetic, adventurous and hilarious (and ever so slightly barking mad), The Dukes Box is a custom built audio-visual show that crams an entire band into a ‘human jukebox’.

Impressions Gallery: Share your photographs of City Park Mirror Pool Big Screen: 2pm onwards Get snap happy and drop in to Impressions Gallery to share your photographs of City Park’s grand opening. You may even see your photo on the Big Screen! The Studio at Impressions is also a great place to take pictures of Centenary Square and City Park Mirror Pool.

Free Photo-Walks Impressions Gallery: 3pm Yorkshire photography group Exposure Leeds will lead a free photo-walk around the City Park Mirror Pool. Photographers of all levels are welcome so take advantage of this opportunity to share tips and techniques. See http://exposureleeds.org Grande Finale: Avanti Display, Dream Engine & External Combustion City Park Mirror Pool: 6:20pm Spectacular fireworks, laser and light show with heliospheres, and an amazing show featuring human fountains.

Hand Made in Bradford shop: Loosely Bound Zine Extravaganza & Time and Place exhibitions Tyrell Street: 10am to 4pm See two exhibitions featuring handmade magazines by local enthusiasts and images of new arrivals to Bradford from the 1950s onwards. Visitors to the exhibition will be encouraged to find and identify family members and pose for their own ‘Belle Vue’-style photographs.

Bradford Children’s Centres Tyrell Street: 12pm to 6pm Bring your children down to play in a special water play space, create artwork, have their face painted, listen to a stories or watch drama and dance performances.

FABRIC’s POP UP art space City Park Mirror Pool: 10am to 4pm Inspirational pieces created by Bradford College students alongside new work by artist Des Pattison, who is creating a series of images inspired by the City Park Mirror Pool and people’s interaction with it.

Toilets Male, female and disabled toilets available in City Hall and City Park Pavilion (building next to the former police station).

Refreshments Food and drink is available from various stalls and cafes and bars surrounding City Park.