EDEN Festival has released this year’s theme for the children’s arena.

They will be taking you under the sea to the land of make believe, swimming and surfing with sea creatures, sailing with pirates and flying with gulls.

There will be workshops for youngsters to make pirate flags, fish masks, scuba packs and more, while the forest skills team will be leading woodland crafts and bushcraft skills, including campfire cooking and herb walks, making jewellery, nature art and willow crafts.

Maggie March, children’s programmer, said: “This year we are going bigger and bolder, with more activities planned than ever before. You can get lost in the garden surrounded by colourful serpents, fish and underwater flora. It’s a time to relax and enjoy Eden with your children in a safe environment.” Eden Festival is set in the Raehill Meadows of Dumfries, from Thursday 11 until Sunday 14 June.

It is a boutique festival that has over 250 acts performing across nine stages and – along with a children’s area – brings live music, dance, cabaret, burlesque, circus skills, theatre, healing space, fun and games and more.

This year the ‘toddlers’ dome’ is also returning with books, toys and dressing up.

On Saturday you can seek out clues for the lost treasure and on Sunday children will claim the festival site as their own, when they make some noise on the colourful parade.

New to the garden this year is a story telling marquee, outside arena and a ‘parents space’.

The marquee will host creative dance and yoga, puppet shows and song time for babies and toddlers.

There will also be storytelling workshops by a published children’s author and illustrator and the new mothers/parents space will include sessions such as birth stories, breast-feeding support and peaceful parenting.