Sam EmanuelPeople are being urged to get involved in a colourful summer fair which will celebrate the city's independent shops and arts culture.Sam Emanuel

People are being urged to get involved in a colourful summer fair which will celebrate the city's independent shops and arts culture.

The Norwich Lanes Summer Fayre will take place on Sunday, July 11m as part of the weekend of Lord Mayor's celebrations.

The free family event, which will run from 11am to 5pm, is designed to celebrate the uniqueness and diversity of the independent shops in the Norwich Lanes.

It will include stalls along the length of St. Benedict's Street selling vintage clothes, handmade crafts and foods, as well as arts performances throughout the Norwich Lanes area.

St Gregory's Green will host acoustic music performances, comedy, circus acts and poetry recitals, with ice-cream, food stalls and cushions to help visitors enjoy the entertainment.

Venues include the Arts Centre, the Birdcage, St Gregory's Church, the Rumsey Wells, the Ten Bells and the Bicycle Shop, and there will be a co-ordinated schedule of entertainment including dance, live music, barbecues, story-tellers and exhibitions.

The Norwich Lanes Traders' Association is now looking for entertainers to add the performance schedule on the day - in particular samba, tango, belly dancing, circus acts, stilt walkers, brass bands, Morris dancers and poets.

As it is a community event put on with very limited funding, acts are asked to donate their time in return for a performance opportunity in front of thousands of spectators.

The organisers are also looking for unique stallholders to take part in the event, and each stall will cost �30, or �25 for Norwich Lanes members.

Robin Phillips, chairman of the association, said: 'Thousands of people come down to the event and it is a great opportunity for people to show off their talents.

'It has grown so much in the last four or five years, from just being on St Benedict's Street to the rest of the Norwich Lanes, and we are confident this year will be very successful.

'Things like this are absolutely vital for the city, and unite people who live and work in the area as well as celebrating the diversity we have here.'

For more information, visit www.norwichlanes.co.uk.

Anyone wishing to help as an entertainer, performer or steward, should contact Lauren Gregory on 07891 570574 or email lauren@lullabyinc.com.

Anyone who would like to have a stall at the event should call Anne on 01603 613184 or email Ella or James at ella@franksbar.co.uk or james@franksbar.co.uk.