THOUSANDS of people are expected to descend on Wokingham this weekend for the town's sixth annual festival.

Crowds will be entertained at the Wokingham Festival by live music, with a selection of fine food and drink exhibitors and local beers in Elms Field.

A variety of hot food dishes including paella, Thai noddles and cr�pes will entice hungry festival-goers and Binfield-based Rascal Ice Cream will be offering adults alcoholic ices.

There will be children's entertainment and activities from Friday evening until Sunday.

Organiser Kate Lole told the News that preparations were going well and added: "Wokingham Festival is really a family-friendly event. The kids will be kept entertained by the Children's Corner and there will be plenty of things to see and do."

There will be colouring competitions and face painting in the Children's Corner and on Saturday a circus skills workshop by Circus Scene.

Open-air cinema screenings of Grease, Madagascar and Cool Runnings launched the festival on Friday, Saturday and Sunday last week and attracted hundreds of people.

Ms Lole said: "It was fabulous! We were so lucky with the weather."

The restaurant marquee, also housing the beer festival run by the Wokingham Lions, opens from 5.30-10.30pm on Friday and 10am-6pm on Saturday and Sunday.

The food and drink exhibitor marquee is open on Saturday and Sunday from 10am-6pm.

This is the first year festival-goers can buy weekend tickets, which are �10 and are available to buy until noon tomorrow (Friday) only.

Evening tickets (entry from 5.30pm) are �5 per day and day tickets (admission before 5pm) are �3.75. Day ticket holders can stay into the evening.

Children under 18 accompanied by parents are free.

Last year 8,000 people enjoyed the festival.

Find out more and book tickets by visiting www.wokinghamfestival.co.uk