RESIDENTS on a Blackburn estate are to celebrate the diversity of their community with a two-day mini festival this weekend.

The Romney Voices Family Shindig, to be held on Romney Walk, will feature live bands, family activities and street food.

Cally Kershaw-Calvert, vice chairman of Romney Voices which has organised the event, said: “There is a great community spirit around here and the festival is a way of celebrating that.

“This will be the third year we have held the festival. Last year we had over 300 people coming along and we hope to have even more this year.”

Tomorrow there will be 11 live performances starting from noon with leading local band Inciders headlining. Seven more acts will be appearing on Sunday.

Tomorrow there will be a bucking bronco, facepainting and a mini fun fair for youngsters.

“Everyone is doing their bit for the festival,” said Cally. “We will have a wide range of street food available which reflects the area so there will be Latvian, Asian, Jamaican and British food available all prepared by local residents.”

Romney Voices, chaired by Eileen Thompson, has received funding for the festival from Shadsworth and Whitebirk Big Local, the Great Get Together and the Jo Cox Foundation.

“There are people from different cultural and ethic backgrounds in the area and that is something to celebrate,” said Cally.

“All our children play together. Sometimes people talk about community spirit as though it is something old fashioned but I don’t think it has ever really gone away; certainly not around here.

“We all talk to each other, we look out for each other and this weekend will be a celebration of that.”

The Romney Voices Family Shindig will run from 12noon tomorrow and Sunday.