ST IVES Summer Festival is set to amaze with its week-long fun-filled activities. The festival runs from Saturday, July 15 to Saturday, July 22 and will kick off on Noble s Field on July 15 at 10am with a regatta of rowing boats racing until 5pm. The Rive

ST IVES Summer Festival is set to amaze with its week-long fun-filled activities.

The festival runs from Saturday, July 15 to Saturday, July 22 and will kick off on Noble's Field on July 15 at 10am with a regatta of rowing boats racing until 5pm.

The Riverside Gala is Saturday's main attraction, a children's fun area, a beer tent, side shows and food stalls will start at 12.30pm until 7.30pm and entrance is free.

From 12.30pm the Live Music Marquee will show a variety of groups from 60s to 90s and live Irish music and to finish off the evening a glam rock band called Glamtastic.

At 5.30pm a decorated boat competition will take place with a spectacular sail past in conjunction with St Ives Rowing Club.

A dragon boat race will take place all day Sunday, for the first time, as part of the Riverside Gala starting at 10am.

And one of the crews will be raising money to help save the life of a young man suffering from cancer.

The Music Box team is raising money for Richard Legg, whose family is trying to raise £50,000 to send him abroad for treatment for advanced skin cancer. Their boat has been donated by St Ives Rowing Club.

His sister, Tara Kingston from St Ives, said the family had heard of a treatment similar to immunisation where cancer cells and the patient's genes are injected into their body to help fight the disease. The family is hoping to send Richard to Ireland, Germany or America.

The dragon boat races will take place all day on Sunday, July 16, on the River Great Ouse. There will be free entry for the public from Noble's Field where there will be a hog roast, beer tent, children's activities and a gymnastics display.

Crews will be made up of up to 15 people, including a drummer. The boats will be the ones used in the National Dragon Boat championships. Among the 21 teams who have entered are crews from Lola Cars, The Tap Room, RAF Molesworth, Bluntisham Cricket Club and Huntingdon Gymnastics.

Wednesday is family film night in Slepe Hall, starting at 7pm with the 70s classic Grease with ice cream during the interval.

A cash prize of £50 is up for grabs for the best fancy dress costume. There will also be live cabaret from Live Studios. Watch the celebrity lookalikes walk the red carpet and join in with the canapés and bubbly.

From Wednesday (July 19) to Saturday (July 22) art exhibitions will be held at the Methodist Church for local artists. Most work is for sale and a there is a chance to take part in workshops.

Artist Daphne Meats will be holding a workshop on Thursday from 10am to 1pm and sculptor Anthony Lysicia will be involving young people from St Ives to create a permanent carving representing the town at the Norris Museum.

A vocal extravaganza will be held at the Free Church on Friday, an evening celebrating the voice in song and prose, with classical and modern music from Handel and Vivaldi to Andrew Lloyd Webber, from five artists.

The Chamber Orchestra of St Ives will perform an orchestral concert on Saturday at the Free Church. Conductor Chris Hiscock and leader Briony Lang hold a delightful night including the works of Mozart.

Saturday 17

# Riverside Gala 10am - 7.30pm at Nobles Field, off Thicket Path. Entrance Free.

# 10am Regatta

# 12.30pm Live Music and family entertainment.

# 5.30pm Boat Competition.

Sunday 18

# Dragon Boat Racing 10am - 6pm at Nobles Field. Call 07801 726836 to take part.

# Hog roast, beer tent, food and craft stalls and a gymnastics display. Entrance Free

Wednesday 19

# Movie Night at Slepe Hall at 7.30pm. Watch Grease in style, celebrity lookalike competition. Tickets: £10 (under 16s £5).

Wednesday 19 -

Saturday 22

# Art exhibitions at the Methodist Church, Wednesday to Friday 10am to 6pm and Saturday 10am to 5pm. Entrance: Free.

Thursday 20

# Workshop with Daphne Meats, 10am to 1pm, ten places available, phone 01480 300963 to book.

Friday 21

# A Vocal Extravaganza concert at the Free Church starting at 7.30pm. Tickets £8.

Saturday 22

# Chamber Orchestra of St Ives holds an orchestral concert at the Free Church, 7.30pm. Tickets £8.