FANCY a taste of the Orient this bank holiday weekend? Then look no further than the free Echo-backed Poole Park Fest 04 which features Chinese cooking, Chinese martial arts and Chinese lion dancing demonstrations, along with numerous other activities for the whole family.

Organised by the Friends of Poole Park, the two-day entertainment extravaganza will be opened on Sunday by the Mayor of Poole Les Burden.

Visitors can enjoy fun on the lake with "walking on water" hydrazorbs, dance workshops, balloons, sports workshops and live music from Ray Dorset of Mungo Jerry, Secret Agency, Harry Skinner and Dave Saunders and The Bowie Experience.

The first Chinese-themed event - the first of the Chinese Lion Dancing Team Waterside Lion Dance Club's 20-minute performances - takes place just after the opening ceremony, at noon.

The group's second display takes place on Monday at 1pm.

For those with more of an interest in eastern culinary skills, the Chinese cooking demonstration at 1.30pm on Monday will really hit the spot.

East Meets West will see executive chef Edward Cox, from the Custom House on Poole Quay, and Andy Chu, cooking consultant of Poole's Wah Hing Chinese Supermarket, using the same ingredients to create two very different dishes.

Then it's time for more energetic activity with a demonstration of Chinese martial arts by the Wutan Institute International at 3pm on Monday.

The festival runs from 11am to 7pm on Sunday (August 29) and 11am to 5pm on Monday (August 30). Admission is free.

First published: August 28