THE Great Yorkshire Fringe is to be extended with more shows in York city centre from August 5 to September 10.

The White Rose Rotunda and The Turn Pot spiegeltents have been dismantled  for their journey north to the Edinburgh International Book Festival, after more than 330 shows in the 18-day festival, but the GYF will retain its presence in Parliament Street over the next month with outdoor shows under protective stretched canvasses.

Festival director Martin Witts will present predominantly children's shows for the summer season, while retaining the street food stalls, each now with their own "garden space" on the Parliament Street village green. BOB, the green-covered box-office bus will remain and the 6 of the Best Beer and Cider festival that began part way through the GYF will continue.

"There has been such a passion for the free shows that we've put on, particularly for children, that we're going to call it the Parliament Street Family Feastival to get everyone used to the idea of a [temporary] village green in the city centre," said Mr Witts.

"We're putting on a programme of free events, with the best buskers too, taking up the space from the disused fountain to where the White Rose Rotunda stood, to create a family-friendly environment in the city centre, and the more you do that, the more people will see it that way."

The Family Feastival will run from 10am to 6pm, Mondays to Thursdays and on Sundays, and from 10am to 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays. "Because we sponsor the Arts Barge activities, we're hoping to create an Arts Barge music weekend, and we're also making arrangements for Al Greaves, of The Burning Duck Comedy Club, to run children's comedy workshops on Fridays and Saturdays over the six weeks. We've already done a couple over the Great Yorkshire Fringe that went really well," said Mr Witts.

"I'd like to think our festival is claiming back the city centre for the family, where it becomes like a village green used to be, and John Warrington's carousels will be running in Parliament Street too to add to the family atmosphere."

For updates on the Parliament Street Family Feastival programme, visit greatyorkshirefringe.com