Billingham Folklore Festival promises the World in a Weekend on 2021 return

The Two Fridas are among the acts performing at The World in a Weekend.

The Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance is offering visitors the World in a Weekend at the town’s Forum Theatre on Saturday, August 14, and Sunday, August 15, for just over £5 per person.

The acts performing include Lahing Kayumanggi Dance Company from The Philippines, Absolutely Legless from Ireland, Talentos from Colombia, Discovery Highland Dancers from Scotland, the United Kingdom’s own Eliot Smith Dance Company, Kartveli from Georgia, an Iranian Lullaby by street dancer Bobak, featuring Billingham dance-troupe Tapshoes & Tutus and the Don Japanese Taiko Drummers.

Individual matinee performances will cost adults £4 and children £2 with the curtain rising daily at 2pm.

For the evening performances, adult tickets cost £6 and children £3 with shows commencing at 7.30pm.

A spokesman for the festival, which begins on Friday, August 13, said: “That means a family of four could get a whole weekend of matinee performances for £24, and if they want more, then they could also collectively purchase weekend night-time shows for £36.

Olga Maloney, the festival’s artistic director, said: “People are craving a return to the theatre and we are putting on an event that the whole family can afford.

"We just wants to see big smiles back on to people’s faces and what better way than enjoying the very best in international dance.”

For the past two years the traditional annual festival has been postponed due to the Covid pandemic and 2021 is a mini-version.

Due to international travel restrictions currently in place, the festival programming team haven’t been able to book dance companies from its usual worldwide selection.

Instead they have tapped into the creativity and talent in the United Kingdom who specialise in global dance techniques.

People can buy tickets for The World in a Weekend at www.forumtheatrebillingham.co.uk, by calling (01642) 552663 or in person from the theatre’s box office from Mondays to Saturdays from 10am-5pm.

There will also be a parade around Billingham town centre on Saturday, August 14, at 1pm.

For full details, go to http://www.billinghamfestival.com, @BillFest (Twitter) and @billinghamworlddancefestival (Facebook).