THE second Wye Valley River Festival made its first stop in Monmouthshire yesterday.

A cast of river characters and a mobile laboratory visited Monmouth town centre as part of the water-themed festivities, which launched in Hereford last week and culminate in a finale in Chepstow on May 15.

Shoppers and visitors to the town were greeted by the characters out various locations including the Shire Hall and by Monnow Bridge.

The Caravan of Fact and Wonder parked up outside the Shire Hall where the river characters performed on the festival piano and visitors were welcomed inside the caravan to find out about microscopic life and view a collection of water species on loan from the National Museum of Wales.

An arts and landscape conference, run by Articulture, took place inside the Shire Hall.

At the River A & E Laboratory the river characters gave a comic performance with a serious underlying message about the health of the river.

The festival, which is spearheaded by the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Partnership, was last held in 2014 and attracted 20,000 visitors to a 60-mile stretch of the River Wye.

It aims to celebrate nature, culture, landscape and life along the river in the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Last night saw the launch of an avian art installation at the Old Station at Tintern as part of the festival. Hundreds of origami-style birds made by the community came alive with synchronised lighting sequences creating the birds of flight by artist Kathy Hinde. One Thousand Birds will take flight in the signal box at the station in a second installation open between 10am and 5pm until May 13.

Today (SAT) the festival moves to Vauxhall Fields at Monmouth from noon until 10.15pm where there will be plenty of river antics, song and dance. There will be performances from Monmouth Band and a shoal of floating musicians, culminating with a show starting at 7pm.

Visit www.wyevalleyaonb.org.uk