CHILDREN at a major Bournemouth event will enjoy top pop acts at the same time as they recreate a 100-year-old tradition.

The Bewitched Party Band – featuring former B*Witched singer Keavy Lynch – will headline Bournemouth’s family festival next month.

The Daily Echo-backed event is this year being renamed the Children’s Festival in keeping with a tradition from the early 20th century.

Children’s festivals took place in the town from 1905-1914 and were halted by the outbreak of the First World War.

In those days, almost 6,000 children took part in a march to Meyrick Park, and that tradition is being revived for this year’s event on Thursday, July 24, which runs from 10am-4pm.

The mayor will be in a horse-drawn carriage at the head of the parade as his predecessors were before World War One.

All the children taking part will be given a World War One-themed peace medal, similar to the medals given out by the mayor in 1919 to celebrate the end of the war.

The tradition of a festival in Meyrick Park was revived in 2010 when the borough council organised the Bournemouth Family Festival. The event has grown each year and attracted entertainers such as Sporticus from LazyTown and CBeebies star Chris Jarvis.

The festival will feature 170 stalls. Many of the businesses, statutory and voluntary organisations will be showing what they were like 100 years ago and there will be a busy programme of entertainment.

Festival organiser Julian Sandy, of Bournemouth Borough Council, said: “The event is promising to be bigger and better, with more people expected than ever before.”

More than 35,000 people are expected through the park during the day to enjoy the live music, entertainment and outdoor activities.