Families who pass up a holiday abroad in favour of soaking up the scenery and attractions closer to home will find plenty to enjoy at this year’s Ilkley Summer Festival.

Beginning on Saturday – Yorkshire Day – the month of fun, entertainment and culture is set to provide something for residents and visitors of all ages.

The festival is the seventh to take place in Ilkley, and once more the programme of events has evolved to suit the times and current tastes.

Fun for families, and in particular those who are staying at home this summer, has been one of the considerations in drawing up this year’s programme, says festival director, Councillor Anne Hawkesworth.

She said: “With the recession continuing to bite, more and more families are sticking to their decisions to holiday at home this summer. Months ago the Ilkley Summer Festival decided that this year they would go all-out to cater for the stay-at-homers.

“Children and young people are particularly well provided for in this year’s programme.”

Big events are planned every weekend of the festival, with some of the favourites from the very first festival still part of the programme.

A cricket school for children, one of the events at the heart of the inaugural festival, will run at Ben Rhydding Cricket Club again next week. The three-day continental street market will bring tasty treats and traders from other countries to The Grove from Friday to Sunday, August 7 to 9.

The Last Night Concert on Saturday, August 29, will again take over The Grove for the evening and present the grand finale to the festival.

The long-running Ilkley Flower Show forms part of the festival programme, and festival-goers will be able to see prize-winning flowers, homecraft, floral art and children’s creations.

One of the first big events of the festival this year will be the Grand Variety Show at the King’s Hall theatre on Station Road, headlined by ostrich-riding comedian Bernie Clifton.

The show is being staged by Friends of the King’s Hall and Winter Garden, who raise money for improvements and restoration work at the two heritage public halls.

There will be music on The Grove on Saturday August 22, at the Latino Cabaret, with swing from Dominic Halpin and The Honey Bs, and the Tre Tenori will perform light opera and songs from the musicals.

Fun for younger festival-goers this year includes a children’s fair at the two-day music and entertainment extravaganza in the Riverside Gardens on August 15 and 16. The stars of the shows include acclaimed young Rockabilly singer Imelda May, recently in the charts with Big, Bad, Handsome Man from her Love Tattoo album, and tribute band Abba Gold.

Children can experience a journey into the unknown aboard the Wow Space Bus on Thursday, August 20. A mix of adventure and learning, would-be young astronauts can learn about space with a flight simulation and animation, explore the landscapes of the moon and Mars, try out hands-on activities and learn about rocketry.

The Manor House Museum and Art Gallery will be offering activities in a series of workshops on Tuesdays. Entitled Dipping Into Darwin, the workshops combine Ilkley’s celebration of its Charles Darwin links this year with a look at natural history.

River dipping will be one of the first activities, on Tuesday August 4. Places must be booked at some of the workshops.

The festival programme is again supported by many other events including music, heritage works and open art studios.

Tickets for certain events are available from Ilkley Tourist Information Centre, Ilkley Town Hall.

More details can be found online at summerfestival.ilkley.org, by dropping into Ilkley Tourist Information Centre, or checking your Ilkley Gazette each week.