Penryn promises a riot of sound and colour on Saturday as the Cornish Ordinalia plays return to town as part of a celebration of its cultural heritage.

Kemeneth, meaning community, is part of the town's 800th anniversary celebrations, and the event will flood the town with music, singing, dancing, and Ordinalia performances, as well as rides and workshops for children and families.

The Ordinalia was created in Penryn during the 13th century along with other Cornish works, when the town was the home of Glasney College, a major centre of learning and a hub of Cornish culture.

The Kemeneth Festival will include performances of The Ordinalia in the streets, along with plen an gwari style theatre in the round, and there will be more than 35 bands and performance groups across four stages, as well as a heritage market in the town centre.

There will be a multi-cultural flavour to proceedings with flamenco, gospel music, Indian dance, Capoiera and circus artists from Swamp Circus. The organisers have even planned an opera from a ship in the harbour.

There will also be a celebration of all things Kernow, including the Whipple Tree Band, musicians Joana's Lift, and traditional performers Tros an Tres who are setting up their chough dance floor for ceilidhs and Cornish dancing.

Organiser Brett Jackson said: "The university has been very supportive and is helping with stages in the heritage market and in the big top on Glasney field for the evening celebration.

"The event has sponsorship from Rebel Brewery who have produced a celebration pink beer which has been infused with hibiscus flowers."

There will be a Kemeneth procession including giant puppets, setting off from the quay and finishing at the Methodist Church, at around 2.30pm.

The Ordinalia performances will take place on Quay Hill at 2pm, in the Memorial Gardens at 3.30pm and Higher Market Street at 5.15pm, and a final performance will be held at 6pm in Glasney Field.

Street performances start at 11am, and the event will finish with the last events on Glasney Field at midnight. The centre of Penryn from Quay Hill to West Street will be closed to traffic from 9am to 6pm.