THE Worcester Festival will be 'virtually the same' despite the coronavirus pandemic say organisers.

This year's festival is due to take place between Saturday, August 15 and Monday, August 31 in what is the 18th year of the award-winning festival.

This year there are over 700 events taking place over the 17-day Festival, many organised by local organisations and individuals, and many of them free of charge say organisers.

Events include the Family Prize Quiz trail, which takes you on a scout around Worcester to answer questions, offering the chance of winning a prize.

There will also be a cake decorating workshop with the Sugar Clouds & Crumbs (in association with Cookmate, Worcester), fun and historic activities from Worcester Cathedral, The Canal and River Trust's Plastic Challenge, helping to clear the city’s river and canal banks and learn to recreate designs from the Festival favourites, 'The Funky Face Painters'.

Organisers have managed to include some socially distanced events including, The Crowngate Percy Trail to see if you can find Percy the Peacock’s 'cheeky face' hiding in Crowngate shop windows for your chance to win a prize, Battle of Worcester Walks taking you to visit the historical and important sites in the last battle of the English Civil War, Secret Sweet tasting at Mr Simms Sweet Shoppe, make and record Eco Briks at Pack It In, Worcester and rediscover the beauty of Worcestershire with the 'A Welcome View Exhibition' at The Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum.

There are also Virtual Zumba, dance and Taekwondo sessions and singing and puppetry workshops for children.

Blobbie Williams will be closing the Worcester Festival with a specially recorded concert at 8pm on August 31.

For more information visit www.worcesterfestival.co.uk or find out more via social media - @WorcesterFestival on Facebook, @WorcFestival for Twitter

and @theworcesterfestival for Instagram.