Brindleyplace will be buzzing with the colourful sights and rhythmic beats of Birmingham's annual Dragon Boat Race on July 9 as thousands of spectators are expected to turn out to see Gas Street Basin's canal barges swap pride of place for the day.
Birmingham's business community will be swapping their pinstripes for paddles as 20 teams race 40-foot craft along a course running from the Pitcher and Piano to the NIA in a series of heats and finals throughout the day.
As well as providing a colourful spectacle, the races will also raise a significant sum for Birmingham Foundation, a local charity which offers direct financial support to voluntary and community projects.
Trustee, Peter Bache, said: "The entry fees and sponsorship raised by the Dragon Boat racers will certainly be used to good effect and we're really looking forward to what promises to be an exciting day."
German band Bourbon Street, blues specialists Revelator, and soul stars Street Wise will be entertaining the crowds, while a fire breather and living statue will help transform Brindleyplace from an office hotspot into street theatre.
