Bingley Canal Festival – first organised in 2016 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Leeds Liverpool Canal – is back for 2018.

The town centre and the towpath on the stretch of the canal between the iconic Five Rise Locks and the Three Rise Lock will come alive with narrow boats, boat trips, stalls, music and entertainment when the festival takes place on Saturday.

The day will begin at 10am with the opportunity to watch the historic boat and floating museum the Kennet make a descent of the Five Rise Locks.

The boat will then be open to the public for the duration of the festival at the top of the Three Rise Locks.

Alongside the Kennet, there will be other events including pre-booked canoeing lessons organised by the Desmond Canoe Trail and a chance to interact with Madagascan hissing cockroaches, Stef the bearded dragon lizard and Millie the rabbit.

There will be demonstrations from a mobile blacksmith and dry stone wallers and stalls from the Canal Rivers Trust Explorers, Trinity All Saints’ School, the RNLI and Halfords. Bingley’s Five Rise Café will also be open for refreshments.

The Joint Activities and Motor Education Service (JAMES) will be providing free boat trips between The Fisherman’s pub and Three Rise Locks throughout the day. JAMES work with young people to teach them about responsible and safe driving as well as basic mechanics.

There will be a wide range of stalls in both the Market Square and Bingley Arts Centre as well as tasty food from around the world and a cocktail bar. Children can enjoy a climbing wall, trampoline and a bouncy slide outside the Bingley Arts Centre.

Bingley Youth Café will be open and will be providing a range of activities for young people including arts and crafts, face painting and nail art, cook and eat sessions, pool, table-tennis and table football. There will also be karaoke, music and dance activities as well as indoor team-building activities. The activities will start at 10am and are all free for young people to take part in.

Bingley Walkers Are Welcome group will lead two walks as part of the event. A family friendly walk will set off from The Buttercross next to the Bingley arts Centre at 10am and a Sir Fred Hoyle History walk will set off from Bingley train Station at 11.30am.

There will be entertainment provided by the All Together Choir at 3pm outside Bingley Arts Centre.

The event has been organised by Bradford Council’s Shipley Area Co-Ordinator’s Office with the support and backing of local organisations such as the Bingley Arts Centre who are hosting the event and a band of community volunteers.

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s executive member for environment, sport and culture, said: “The event in 2016 marking the 200 years since the opening of the Leeds and Liverpool canal was a great success. The festival this year is a great opportunity for people to come down and celebrate the canal and its role in the history and the sense of community which exists in Bingley.