THIS weekend’s Blackburn Canal Festival will see boats travel from across the country to join in the celebrations for the first time.

Organisers have hailed the annual event as the biggest yet and are predicting that records crowds will descend on Eanam Wharf this Saturday and Sunday.

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The family fun weekend will celebrate the history of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the important role that Eanam Wharf played in the development of Blackburn.

Being held for the the third time, the weekend will feature traditional and modern dance, live and recorded music, drama performances, face painting, a bouncy castle and stalls selling cakes and sweets.

There will also be canal boat trips as well as a traditional and artisan markets.

New for 2015 will be a classical concert from 6.30pm on Saturday and a 5km Colour Splash Run which will take place in Manner Sutton Street from 10am on the same day.

Senior events organiser Bill Charnley said: “This year is going to be bigger and better than ever.

“We have canal boats from as far afield as Lincolnshire heading over to Blackburn for the weekend as well as Liverpool, Skipton, Adlington and Burnley.

“We started off with just £10.44 in our pockets and went to ask the mayor of Blackburn for some funding.

“That helped a lot a few years ago and we have kept on growing and growing since then .”

Blackburn with Darwen Councillor Ron Whittle said: “I would like to congratulate the organisers for putting together this event again this year. Anything like this is good for the community.”