Music, dance and colour at Stafford Arts Festival - with PICTURES and VIDEO

Thousands of people gathered around Market Square in Stafford, to enjoy a host spectacular performances.

This, the seventh annual event, featured a packed schedule of entertainment which kicked off at 10am with the Dappa Dans dance group and ended with The Crooked Bawbees folk group closing the festivities out before 4pm.

In between there was a classy set from the Stafford Operatic Society, eye-catching Bollywood routines from Des Nachi, and drum-thumping performances from the Solid Steel Band and Art Brasil.

While in the afternoon a Hula Hoop workshop and Groove Academy kept everybody moving.

Other venues in the town also got in on the act with the indoor market hosting a children's paint party, the Ancient High House putting on craft workshops while it was also the perfect opportunity for many to see the talented creations on display at a pop-art gallery in the Guildhall shopping centre.

But one of the most popular attractions was the two costumed birds and their comedy minder who provided the festival with an element of street theatre.

Children were kept entertained in between performances by the ever-popular bubbleologist - who makes huge bubbles - while they were also able to get glitter tattoos and their faces painted.

And of course putting the 'art' into the event was Stafford Art Group providing workshops on drawing and painting.

The event, which was free, was put on by Stafford Borough Council and the Town Centre Partnership.

Council spokesman Will Conaghan said: "The seventh art festival did not disappoint.

"The weather remained kind and thousands of people flocked into the town to see a whole host of performances, highlights included the Bollywood-style dancers and Art Brasil.

"The children's activities proved very popular, overall we were very happy with how it went. The smiles on people's faces as they were watching the performances said it all."