A back-to-back medley of jugglers, dancers and Glastonbury DJs launched the “biggest youth arts festival to hit the UK” in Kingston this week.

The 2013 International Youth Arts Festival, starting in Kingston in July, officially launched at the Rose Theatre on Tuesday night with guests getting a glimpse of circus acts, plays, acoustic music and hip-hop.

Festival director Jeremy Sachs highlighted the newest additions to the International Youth Arts Festival, and said: “This time we have tried to get slightly more unconventional spaces.

“We have a festival pub, The Nest, at the Market Place, where you can go and pick up leaflets for shows and buy tickets.

“But also if you wander in there you might catch a small performance. And Las Iguanas restaurant will also be doing live music throughout the event.

“We’ve got a really fantastic, eclectic mix of different acts, which will be a fantastic little window into what is coming.”

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The festival is in its fifth year, and last year attracted crowds of thousands, featuring acts from as far as the US and Africa. Aniela Zaba, director of IYAF organisers Creative Youth said: “We are using every local space in Kingston and making retailers feel like they can be part of it all.”

Events this year include the Bentalls store offering department-specific events such as shadow puppetry in lighting, while the Bentall Centre will play host to air shows.

The International Youth Arts Festival runs from July 6 to 28.