THE finest young bands, musicians, dancers and performers will take to the stage for the Street Wise festival at Waseley Hills Country Park this Saturday.

The popular young persons' arts festival returns to the park's Butterfly Field after a successful debut in 2004, when nearly 2,000 people packed into the park.

Headliners Rockdogs will be among the 150 performers, all of whom are aged between 11 and 19-years-old.

The festival kicks off at 1pm with a performance from Rubery Marching Band. Other performances during the day will include local bands No Diploma, Silent Riot and Not Your Average Garden Gnome.

There will also be trash, African and samba drumming groups, a Brazilian martial arts display, the winners of the Rubery Leisure Centre Stars In Their Eyes competition and more than 20 solo artists. Visitors can take part in a samba parade at 6pm and Europe's largest slide will also be at the festival. The slide is 45 feet high and 65 feet long.

The free event is being funded by the Worcestershire Youth Service and Bromsgrove District Council and has also received the backing of the police, Worcestershire County Council's Countryside Service and Connexions.

Bromsgrove's senior youth worker Gary Clarke, who is organising the event, believes it is a great chance for young people to show just what they can do.

"The acts have all worked really hard," he said. "It is a fantastic opportunity for them and it is a culmination of six to nine months' hard work.

"It will be a fantastic spectacle," added Gary.