THE Queen of Hearts and the Cheshire Cat will be entertaining the crowds in Boscombe over Easter.

The Alice in Wonderland characters will be taking to the streets during this year’s Easter Adventure Weekend, which organisers say will be bigger and better than ever before.

Starting on Good Friday, April 18, a range of events and activities will be held at Bournemouth Chine Gardens, the Sovereign Centre, the precinct and the Royal Arcade.

The jam-packed programme includes a Mad Hatter’s tea party, a “White Wabbit” Easter egg hunt and “Scruffs” dog show.

A food festival will take place on Friday and Saturday at the Sovereign Centre and a variety of stalls will be selling vintage goods on Sunday.

Other activities include face painting, trampolining and giant hamster balls.

The event is being hosted by the Coastal Business Improve-ment District BID), a new initiative funded by local businesses that aims to attract new people to shop and stay in Boscombe, Southbourne, West-bourne and Bournemouth.

Alun Williams, manager of Bournemouth’s Coastal BID, said: “The Easter Adventure is the perfect opportunity to showcase the amazing diversity of what Boscombe has to offer local residents and visitors in the way of shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants."

Organiser Clare Belmont said: “This year’s Easter Adventure is set to be another cracking event with so much free, family-friendly activity going on in and around Boscombe.”

She added: “It’s thanks to funding from the Coastal BID, plus help from local businesses, performers and artists that we can host such colourful events like these for the community.”

To view the full list of activities and events schedule, search for ‘Boscombe Easter Adventure’ on Facebook.