New for this year’s Imagine Watford festival is the launch of Watford’s Big Events, the largest arts and activities programme ever undertaken in the town that will celebrate and utilise the revamped Parade area of the High Street, and open it up to families by holding free, open-air arts and entertainment events. Those taking place as part of Imagine Watford are:

Hot Off the Press

Commissioned to mark the launch of the new Parade, this combines special effects and music to create an entertainly visual and dramatic opening sequence for the new events space, inspired by Watford’s printing and paper heritage (June 20).

The Extraordinary Garden

Celebrating the Parade’s revitalised pond, there are some rather extraordinary plants that need to be brought to life – with hugs and cuddles! An interactive experience with specially commissioned inflatable sculptures (June 20 and 21).

Dining Al Fiasco

A restaurant beginning an ordinary evening service discovers that every table has been double-booked. The solutioni? Share the tables around between courses without the customers realising. Set to live music, this specially choreographed dance performance sees the staff desperately distract, deter and detain their customers (June 20 and 21).

The Crossing

This performance takes place over the newly-opened bridge across the pond and mixes dynamic physical theatre with an evocative soundtrack to pull apart and draw together the two sides of the High Street (June 21 to 22).

The Eyes Have It

The average person blinks 15,000 times a day, spending six days a year with their eyes shut. Join this exciting theatrical adventure in search of the things we miss when we blink, and look out for hidden instances of magic and moments of beauty on the High Street.