THE bunting and banners are in place and it is all systems go for Bungay's colourful festival 2008.It all starts tomorrow, and for the next two weeks there is a programme of activities which should provide something for everyone, of all ages, to enjoy and bring the town alive.

THE bunting and banners are in place and it is all systems go for Bungay's colourful festival 2008.

It all starts tomorrow, and for the next two weeks there is a programme of activities which should provide something for everyone, of all ages, to enjoy and bring the town alive.

And there are a number of new activities alongside some of the well-established popular events such as the antiques street fair, Shakespeare at the Castle, the festival art exhibition, productions at the Fisher Theatre and the real ale trail.

For the first time bookprinters Clay's are getting actively involved, staging a major exhibition at the theatre to mark 200 years of printing in the town with a range of historic artefacts, photographs and items of equipment from past times.

And what promises to be a colourful and spectacular event on the common is on Sunday, July 13 - a kite day, with kite making workshops, a kite flying demonstration by kite experts, and kites for sale.

The town reeve, Martin Evans, who will signal the start of the festival tomorrow with the mayor, John Groom, by raising the Bigod flag, is hosting Bigod's Music in the Castle Keep - an evening of medieval and Elizabethan music on authentic instruments, preceding by dinner at the Earsham Street Café.

And there is more tradition in the programme, with an afternoon of traditional family games at St Edmund's Church, and a tea dance

at the Fisher Theatre. Over at

Holy Trinity Church there will be an Eats and Entertainment evening,

with music, comedy and competitions.

The famous Freud family is also playing its part. Sir Clement Freud will be at the Fisher Theatre on Wednesday for an entertaining trip through his varied life from night club owner to politician and broadcaster, and his daughter, Esther Freud, is the speaker at the Bungay Good Read Group

event.

In a new diversion, the flagraising ceremony will take place at 12.30pm tomorrow at the old grammar school field, where it will be raised on a mobile pole at the start of the first festival event - a Kids' Fun Day organised by Bungay Rotary Club in conjunction with the Bungay Youth Association. It will then be taken to the Castle to fly there for the duration of the festival, while people of all ages enjoy a fun day of children's races and activities, with parent involvement, and dog show events.

And just to add more colour to the fortnight, there is a shop window display competition, and on Friday the town's entry in the Anglia in Bloom competition will be judged by visiting officials.

Free copies of the festival programme are available at a number of shops in the town and at the Waveney offices in Broad Street.