A FREE summer family festival is returning to Andover.

Four Fun Fridays will be back in High Street today from 11am to 3pm, featuring street theatre, creative workshops, art installations and performances for all the family from next week.

Visual artists Urban Canvas will be kicking off the event today by creating an enormous chalk painting outside the Guildhall.

The Summer Reading Challenge will also be promoted by Andover Library, with a face painter set to join in the fun each week.

Test Valley Borough Council community and leisure portfolio holder Councillor Tony Ward said: “The Four Fun Fridays events have been incredibly successful in recent years.

“The idea resulted from feedback from local residents and businesses requesting more High Street events. It is set to be a great summer in Andover.”

Andover’s The Artroom will be hosting workshops to make underwater creatures come to life as well as some new faces contributing this year.

For the first time Four Fun Fridays will welcome Chapel Arts Studio artists with its Bus of Many Things, and artists James Aldridge, Dave Dixon and Ruth Facey to lead activities creating an interactive timeline of the town and postcards of Andover on board the Art Bus. while Andover Technology Centre will also bring a touch of science to the mix.

The project is funded by Andover Business Park’s developer contributions.

Businesses interested in getting involved should call 01264 368844.