Free family festival at the games (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Free family festival at the games

8:50am Thursday 25th May 2006 in Swindon

GIANT bouncing kangaroos, a uni-cycling juggler and an Abba tribute band are just part of an exciting line-up of entertainment being staged during the UK Corporate Games weekend.

The business Olympics are being held in Swindon a week on Friday but it's not just about business and sport.

To celebrate the sports spectacular, Swindon Council is hosting a huge free family festival which people are being urged to get involved in.

Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal will visit Lydiard Park next Friday to open the Games, which will see more than 6,000 competitors take part in 21 sports over the three days.

Theatre and circus acts will provide roaming entertainment through the crowds, while bands will perform music to suit all tastes on stage at Lydiard Park.

Among the bands performing will be Beat Bullyz and The Fat Cats who have taken music they love from the 40s and 50s and updated it wioth a modern feel.

Abba tribute group The Fabbagirls will bring to life fabulous tunes from the 70s, while The Overtures will perform numbers that made the 60s so popular.

Roaming entertainment will include Jake the Juggler, who has been a feature at festivals all over Europe, while Australian performance troupe Icarus will also thrill younger audiences dressed as giant bouncing kangaroos.

Armchair sports buffs, meanwhile, will also be able to watch the England versus Jamaica friendly football match live on a large LED screen at Lydiard.

To find out about all the acts set to perform during the games go to www.swindon.gov.uk/corporategames