The Lord Mayor's Procession may steal all the attention, but it is the centre piece of an even bigger celebration over the weekend.

Norwich Evening News: Crowds in front of the Forum in Norwich at the Lord Mayor's Celebration. Picture: Stuart AndersonCrowds in front of the Forum in Norwich at the Lord Mayor's Celebration. Picture: Stuart Anderson (Image: Archant)

Norwich City Council has put together a three-day extravaganza that will take over the city centre.

Starting out on Friday evening, five life-sized elephant puppets will stomp from Chapelfield Gardens to Gaol Hill and back, re-creating P.T Barnum and Bailey's 1898 parade through Norwich.

Original songs and live music from The Punch House Band depicting life on the wherries will take place on Friday and Sunday evenings in Crude Apache's free family show.

For many people, the annual highlight of the weekend is The Great Norwich Duck Race, in which thousands of rubber ducks will be displaced from their bath-tubs into the River Wensum in a thrilling battle of speed.

Norwich Evening News: People enjoying the Norwich Lanes Summer Fayre, part of the Lord Mayor's Celebration. Picture: Stuart AndersonPeople enjoying the Norwich Lanes Summer Fayre, part of the Lord Mayor's Celebration. Picture: Stuart Anderson (Image: Archant)

If the excitement of the duck race is too much on Sunday, visitors can wind down in The Bishop of Norwich Open Gardens from 1-5pm in Cathedral Close for £4.

Norwich Puppet Theatre will be providing entertainment to those admiring the historic four-acre gardens.

Music enthusiasts will also be well catered for - BBC East talent spotters present home-grown artists including Nebula Sun, Morganway and Sam Coe and the Long Shadows at the Chapelfield Gardens Grandstand on Saturday from 3-10pm.

Meanwhile The Forum Stage will host an afternoon of disco and swing dance, before Norwich Arts Centre take over to present a curated mix of regional and national artists from headliners The Hempolics to a full Bhangra band.

The Lost River Stage as Westlegate on Saturday afternoon showcases talented young songwriters and musicians.

As Saturday evening draws in, some especially eccentric characters will appear in the city centre, with a pirate party on St Stephens Street and fortune tellers, clowns and circus side shows setting up camp in various locations.

Prior to the parade, keen runners can blow off some steam at the Lord Mayor's 5K Road Race, which starts at Whitefriars Bridge at 5.45pm.

Our Lord Mayor's Celebration coverage is sponsored by First Eastern Counties.

Further details about the Lord Mayor's Celebration can be found online at www.norwich.gov.uk/events