PICTURES: Crowds gather for return of Arts by the Sea Festival

The first day of the weekend event concluded with a spectacular ten-minute light display on the Town Hall.

The show depicting one man, then two, three and four and amazed onlookers.

One man said: “It’s really good. It’s good they can put this on and come down here and watch it for free.”

Hundreds of people gathered for the light show, which was on every half an hour for ten minute and illuminated the town hall.

Pavilion Dance South West put on a poignant display in the Lower Gardens.

The spectacle played clips from news events at the start of the Covid pandemic and displayed the journey back to times more normal.

The talented dancers used LED umbrellas to captivate the audience, with one child shouting: “Mary Poppins!”.

Owen Melaniphy, 6, said: “It was amazing. The umbrellas lighting up and changing colours was really good.

Dad, Simon, 47, said: “It was interesting. I really loved how it was set to the music.

“It ended on a high point which I think reflected the optimism of things getting better.

“The festival really is a high point. We came down last year and it was obviously very different.

“I really hoped it got to continue, hoped they got the funding. It’s lovely to see it come back and it’s a real big thing.”

Mary Howard, 78, added: “The festival brings people in. It’s lovely to see all these things that are put on by BCP Council and we’ve made an effort to come.

“We hope to come again on Sunday, it’s lovely.”

The festival continues over the weekend with hundreds more people expected to attend.

It’s set zcross the conurbation and people can be entertained as far as Sandbanks.