A SPECTACULAR aerial acrobatic act that helped open City Park will return for the upcoming UCI world Cycle Championships.

On Saturday 28 the Women Elite Road Race of the championships starts in City Park and goes through the city centre along Manningham Lane, through Lister Park and on to Frizinghall, Shipley and the bottom of Baildon before going up Hollings Hill and out of the district.

To celebrate a free event will be held in Bradford city centre. The action starts at 9.30am and continues until 1pm.

There will be performances from Dream Engine, the top British street theatre company which helped launch City Park in 2012, who return with their spectacular helium balloon aerial acrobatic show - Heliosphere. This time the performance artist will be on a bike and dressed in the UCI colours of blue, red, black, yellow and green.

Bradford pupils gear up for UCI Road World Championships

There also will be street theatre from local arts organisation Cecil Green Arts, music from the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Band and the West Yorkshire Police Band, as well as face painting. People will be able to stay in the city centre and watch the whole race unfold live throughout the day.

To help people to celebrate the event in Lister Park, there will be a Pedal and Picnic event where people are invited to bring their lunch and watch the race come through.

Working with Active Bradford Partnership and Join Us: Move. Play. there will be free family friendly activities. People can take part in a Wacky Mile and have a go on a Smoothie Bike, dress their bike up and take part in art craft activities.

Children will be able to have a go at 10 different sports in taster sessions throughout the park. They can learn to ride and try out the Babboe Bike or take part in a challenging Hill Climb Race.

All the activities in Lister Park run from 10am to 2pm with a break from 11.15am-12.15pm so people can watch the Elite Women Race through the park.

The Men Elite Road Race will come through the Bradford district on Sunday 29 September and is expected to reach Ilkley at around 9.15am and Addingham at around 9.25am.

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Healthy People and Places, said: “We’re really looking forward to the UCI Road World Championships coming to Bradford. Officers been working very hard with partners behind the scenes to plan for this event and have organised some fantastic events to help people to celebrate. I would encourage people to come to the events and really make the most of this once in a lifetime opportunity and if you live on the race route come out and cheer the riders on as they pass by."

For more information about the UCI Road World Championships in the Bradford district visit www.visitbradford.com/UCI2019