A FREE beach festival kicks off tomorrow.

Paddle Round The Pier, billed as the largest free watersports event of its kind in the world, takes over Hove Lawns and the seafront for the weekend.

The event sees kayaking, paddle-boarding and sailing on sea as well as stalls, lectures, workshops and activities on land.

Paddle director David Samuel described is as an “event to celebrate the summer”.

The Argus is getting involved, too, in the Paddle Something Unusual event at noon on Sunday, when HMS Argus, built by apprentices from Mears, takes to the sea.

While it costs nothing to get in, organisers are looking for donations towards the Rockinghorse children’s charity, Brighton Surf Lifesaving Club and the RNLI.

The Paddle village is situated on Hove Lawns and the seafront of Brighton and Hove between the Peace Statue and the King Alfred Leisure Centre.

It runs tomorrow, July 4, from 9am until 6.30pm and Sunday from 9am until 6pm.

Competitors in the 2.5km swimming race and Paddle Something Unusual event should arrive nearer to 8am.

For more details visit paddleroundthepier.com.