THE yards of some of Saltaire's homes are set to be open to the public as the village's popular festival returns after a two-year absence.

The Open Gardens and Yards Trail, held on Saturday and Sunday, September 11 and 12, will help kick off this year's Saltaire Festival.

It will see some of the village's residents open the doors to their homes and yards for the weekend, as part of a trail.

Visitors can make their way around 20 locations on streets around Saltaire, these include homes in Titus Street, Albert Road. One home in Rhodes Street is offering gin cocktails between noon and 5pm.

Last year's festival was cancelled due to the pandemic, as events instead moved online last September.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: A yard in Saltaire that has opened its doors for the festival in the past A yard in Saltaire that has opened its doors for the festival in the past

Other events on the first weekend of this year's festival include a farmers' market in the village held between 10am and 6pm both days and a performance of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream in Roberts Park on September 11 between 3pm and 4.30pm.

The second weekend of the festival, on September 18 and 19, will see a host of further events taking part across Saltaire, including in Roberts Park.

A number of road closures will be in place throughout the festival. Caroline Street car park will be closed on both weekends, from 11pm on Friday, September 10 to 7pm on Saturday, September 11 and then from 11pm on Friday, September 17 to 7pm on Sunday, September 19.

Upper Ada Street will be closed on Saturday, September 11 and Sunday, September 12 between 11am and 6pm.

Exhibition Road will be shut from 6pm on Thursday, September 17 to 7pm on Sunday, September 19 for the continental street market.

There will be extra road closures on Exhibition Road and Caroline Street over the weekend of September 18 and 19.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

Parking will be suspended on the lower section of Victoria Road and barriers will be used to separate traffic from pedestrians.

People have bene urged to take care when visiting village yards and gardens and follow social distancing protocols.

People are also asked to wait when first visiting yards, which are often small areas and may be crowded at times. Many of the yards arfe also able to be accessed from the back of houses.

Ros Garside, Saltaire Festival events co-ordinator, said: "We're really pleased the festival is back.

"We just want people to be sensible and give people space. We have an organic show in the grounds of the United Reformed Church this year.

"It was not the same last year when we ran it online. It now gives people the chance to do things and enjoy themselves."

Event organisers are still looking for volunteers for the festival, who will be required to do one slot lasting for two hours. Email volunteers@saltairefestival.co.uk

Go to saltairefestival.co.uk/events for more information.