Towns across the Black Country are gearing up for this year’s Black Country Festival which is shaping up to be bigger and better than ever before.

Organisers are promising a packed programme of fun with events across the Dudley borough. It gets underway with the Mayor of Dudley’s annual charity cricket match at Stourbridge Cricket Club on July 1, from 6pm. Spectators will be able to see a teams of councillors, Dudley Council officers and Black Country Festival organisers go head to head to raise money for the Mayor’s charities.

Sedgley Carnival will be at Queen Victoria School, Bilston Street, on July 2, from 11am-5pm. On the same day people will be heading to Halesowen for the town’s carnival from noon-6pm. On July 3 Halesowen will also be hosting the Black Country Road Run where people will taking part in either a 10k or 5k runs.

Stourbridge Carnival will take place on July 3 in the town from 10am-6pm and includes a market, street entertainment and much more.

Wall Heath Summer Carnival will also be on July 3 in the High Street, from noon-5pm, while Wordsley Festival will be at King George V park on July 9, with Gornal fun day on the same day from noon-4pm at the Recreation Ground in The Quarry Vale Street.

The Black Country Fayre organised by the Halesowen and Rowley Regis Rotary Club takes place on July 9 in Somers Square, from 9.30am-4pm, with Netherton Park Fun day on the same day from 9am-5pm.

Brockmoor and Pensnett Black Country Fun Day will be on July 10, at the Dell Stadium, from 1-5pm.

Thousands of people will be heading to Dudley on July 16 for events in Stone Street Square from 11am.

The festival will close with the Dudley Beer Festival, a three day celebration of real ale at Brierley Hill Civic Hall from July 29-31.

James Stevens, chairman of the Black Country Festival organising committee, said:

“We have shown for the past two years that we know how to celebrate our pride in our heritage in the Black Country, and this year’s festival is shaping up to be bigger and better than ever before.

“As someone born and bred in the Black County I would love people to join me at many of these events across the borough.”

For more information on all the events across the Black Country visit black-country-festival.co.uk/events.