Musical bicycles, immersive theatre and circus performances will be heading to Stoke-on-Trent city centre for an outdoor arts festival this month.

The Big Feast, produced by Appetite, will return to Hanley on Friday 28 and Saturday 29 August bringing performances and activities to outdoor stages across the city centre.

Venues will include the Town Hall, Smithfield, Fountain Square, Bethesda Gardens, Albion Square, Parliament Square and Row, Lower Piccadilly, the Potteries Centre, the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Drop City Books and Hanley Bus Station.

Emily Labhart, Appetite Director, said: "The Big Feast is all about transforming familiar spaces into places of wonder, creativity and connection.

"The programme brings together artists whose work is playful, spectacular, moving and thought-provoking.

"Whether you're watching breathtaking outdoor dance, joining an interactive adventure, following a roaming brass band through the streets or simply soaking up the atmosphere, we hope everyone leaves having experienced something unforgettable."

The programme will be led by Motionhouse with its acclaimed dance-circus performance, WILD.

WILD by Motionhouse (image via Dan Tucker)

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Other performances include RO-TES by Stopgap Dance Company, physical theatre performance Accelerate by Highly Sprung Performance, and LAStheatre's Caspian's Storm, an interactive musical following the adventures of a small crab.

Roaming entertainment will also fill the streets throughout the weekend, with Apus Productions' patchwork animals, music from The Stray Horns and Rimski & Handkerchief, as well as Sign Spinning UK showcasing their skills.

This year will also see the introduction of the new Sensasian zone at Smithfield which will celebrate South Asian arts and culture on the Saturday.

The Big Feast is supported by event partner Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID and event sponsors Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Smithfield Stoke-on-Trent, The Town Hall, Drop City Books and The Potteries Centre.

The festival has also received support from programme funders Arts Council England, Appetite's lead organisation New Vic Theatre and the consortium board University of Staffordshire, 6 Towns Radio, Keele University and Partners in Creative Learning (PiCL).

The full programme – as well as access arrangements such as BSL interpretation and audio-described performances – will be announced on the website here.