A FAMILY fun weekend expected to draw in thousands returns at the end of this month.

BH Live once again hosts the Big Bournemouth Family Fun Day on Saturday and Sunday, July 30-31, across two locations providing free activities for all the family.

Bournemouth Pavilion hosts the first day, from 10am-4pm, at its outdoor terrace overlooking the Lower Gardens.

Visitors can have their faces painted and hair braided by Funky Faces, and try their hand with Fun Times archery and the Tin Can Alley. Children’s entertainer Jamie Jigsaw will be there and Frozen’s Elsa will be providing learn-and-play sessions. DJ Sharp Soundz will be handing out prizes and talking about Pavilion Dance South West’s children’s dance workshops and BH Live’s youth theatre workshops. Youngsters can climb aboard an inflatable pirate ship and, at 1pm, there will be a special visit from the Mayor of Bournemouth cllr Edward Jesser Coope.

The weekend continues at Littledown on Sunday, from 11am-4pm. There will be more than 130 indoor and outdoor stalls and activities.

Councillor Lawrence Williams, cabinet member for tourism, leisure and the arts will unveil the event. He said: “The family fun days, both at Bournemouth Pavilion and Littledown, have proved extremely popular and we hope their popularity continues this year.”

New to this year will be falconry displays, a science dome planetarium experience where digital dinosaurs come to life and a special visit from the Dorset Troopers. Stalls feature local produce, artisan crafts and gifts and artists and photographers will display their work.

There is also a new inflatable zone - complete with a pop-up pub - including a bouncy castle for adults, a disco dome, giant assault course, basketball shootout, and a bungee run. There will be hula hoop workshops, an orienteering maze, crazy golf and table tennis.

Children’s entertainment includes Minky Moo, go karts, an inflatable pirate ship, youth theatre workshops, arts and crafts, zorb circuits and a football penalty shootout. Avonbourne Gymnastics Club, Dorset Taekwondo and Poole Academy of Dance will put on demonstrations.

Pat Coyne, BH Live director of venues, said: “Last year our family fun weekend provided two fantastic days out for all the family which really kicked off our summer season. This year our bumper family fun weekend is back and bigger than ever with a host of new attractions and activities to get the summer holidays off to a great start. This time of year has never been so much fun and we love it.”