Newport’s free family street theatre festival, Big Splash, will return on on July 21 and 22, 2018.

The weekend will be jam-packed with dare-devil acts, immersive experiences and plenty of laughs, as over fifty performances pop up in six main zones and one micro zone across the city centre to create one gigantic outdoor stage.

With a festival line-up that will feature over twenty performing companies from all over the UK, including Thrill Laboratory, Le Navet Bête, Kapow Dance, Taking Flight, and Newport’s own Mr and Mrs Clark, audiences can expect everything from slapstick sketches to surreal storytelling, as well as dance, live music and hilarious walkabouts.

The Riverfront Theatre and Arts Centre will be the main festival hub, offering a wide range of free workshops and activities across the weekend. Meanwhile, most Big Splash performances will take place across six other zones at five locations: Friars Walk, Kingsway Shopping Centre, the Newport NOW zone along Commercial Street, the River Walkway zone between the Riverfront and the University, and a smaller performance zone at Horton’s Coffee House on the other side of the pedestrian bridge.

Over 10,000 visitors enjoyed the sights and sounds of Big Splash in 2017, and organisers are confident that this year’s high-octane programme will be just as effective at entertaining the families of Newport and getting them into the perfect summer mood.

Olivia Harris, Creative Producer at Newport Live, said: “The Big Splash is now in its eighth year thanks to the fantastic support it’s received from the local community and funders. The city centre is always buzzing during the festival, and we can’t wait to see what the amazing group of performers has in store for us this year. We would love the people of Newport to get involved – come and join in with the fun.”

Funding the event is from Newport Live, the Arts Council of Wales and Newport City Council, while sponsorship is being provided by Friars Walk, Kingsway Centre, Newport NOW and Western Power Distribution.