A HUGE arts festival is set to begin with an opening weekend of events.

Returning to full capacity for the first time since the pandemic, Brighton Festival will run from May 7 to 29.

Among the 150 events, exhibitions, venues and shows on offer at the festival are the Children’s Parade, The Riwaq and more.

Produced with community arts charity Same Sky, the Children’s Parade will feature more than 5,000 children on Saturday, May 7.

The Argus: The Children's Parade in BrightonThe Children's Parade in Brighton

This year’s festival has two guest co-directors - Syrian architect Marwa Al-Sabouni and artistic director of theatre-makers dreamthinkspeak Tristan Sharps.

Marwa Al-Sabouni has partnered with fellow architect Ghassan Jansiz to build a 30-metre Arabic colonnade on Hove Lawns.

The Riwaq - the Arabic word for colonnade - will be a semi-open space that offers free cultural and community events from Saturday, May 7.

The Argus: The Riwaq in Hove The Riwaq in Hove

Tristan Sharps’ theatre company are to stage the world premiere of a new Brighton Festival commission named Unchain Me.

Inspired by Dostoevsky’s novel The Possessed, in which a provincial town descends into chaos, the action takes place across a range of locations in the city.

Later in the festival, the programme will expand beyond Brighton and Hove to partner on events in Crawley.

Organisers said the festival works in partnership with community groups to select, programme and produce events for and within communities across Hangleton and Knoll, East Brighton, Mouslecoomb and Bevendean.

Established in 1967, Brighton Festival is the largest and most established annual curated multi-arts festival in England.

Tickets are available now for events.

More information can be found on the Brighton Festival website.