A TOWN'S canal heritage will be celebrated in the return of a popular bank holiday festival.

Around 12,000 people from East Lancashire and beyond descended on Sandygate Square for last year's Burnley Canal Festival.

The two day event, which has been held on August bank holiday since 2012, brings together canal traditions with contemporary performance, music, arts workshops and street food.

Live music will be a prominent feature at the sixth annual festival as several performers take to the stage, including the Rajasthan Heritage Brass Band. The group will be performing Bollywood hits, Bhangra beats and a variety of pop songs.

An adventure quest, which has been dubbed as one of the most popular features, along the canal towpath is also set to return.

Friends and family can travel board famous travelling machines Flycycle and Submercycle or relax in a hammock on board LIFEBOAT, dubbed the slowest ride on Earth.

Laurie Peake, director of Super Slow Way, a sponsor for the event, said: “The festival celebrates one of Burnley’s greatest assets, the canal: with art, music and great family entertainment, and all five minutes from the town centre.

"The canalside is a natural oasis and a heritage gem that tells the story of the town, providing a wonderful backdrop to the fabulous performances and fun activities, from canoeing to a towpath treasure trail – not to mention the good food.”

While visitors will be unable to visit town landmarks from previous years, the Burnley Wharf pub or Finsley Gate harbour, they instead will be able to visit Victoria Mill. UCLan, a new sponsor of the festival, have invited people to try carnival themed activities in their new home.

Michael Ahern, UCLan Chief Operating Officer, said: “We are very proud of being a major civic institution in Burnley and this Festival is a fantastic opportunity for us to engage with a wide variety of community groups and members of the public.

"It’s a very exciting time for us with our major investment in Victoria Mill so this is a great chance for the people of Burnley and beyond to come and see what we’re all about.”

Other attractions will include rows of street food, free arts and crafts workshops, children’s fairground rides and a Victorian mill engine.

It will run on bank holiday weekend from 11am to 5pm on Saturday, August 25 and 11am to 4pm on Sunday, August 26.