THERE are just days to go before Southampton's annual festival at the Common.

More than 100,000 people are expected to attend the popular event on Saturday and Sunday.

The former balloon and flower festival still retains much of what was popular about the old event, including the famous nightglow.

The festival, formally known as the Southampton Balloon and Flower Festival, has undergone a major facelift this year and promises to be the biggest free event of its type in the south of England.

City leisure chiefs have included new events to keep the festival at the forefront of similar shows staged across the south.

For those who love different forms of transport, there will be the new Motor Zone featuring classic and heritage vehicles.

The zone will include everything from speedway motorcycles to racing bikes, classic cars to sports cars, buses and even a full-size replica Spitfire.

There is a new 4-U Kids area - a games arena dedicated to children - and there is the Extreme Zone where visitors can try out extreme sports.

The event is organised by Southampton City Council and sponsored by Aspire magazine.

There will be floral displays, a music stage, and a picnic and catering area as well as Saturday evening's traditional nightglow event where tethered balloons, special effects and music are combined.

Tennis fans will also get the chance to watch the Wimbledon finals on giant TV screens on Sunday, though football fans will have to go elsewhere to watch the finals of Euro 2004 as the festival finishes well before kick-off.

TIMETABLE:

SATURDAY

6am: Balloon launch (weather permitting)

10am to 4pm: Classic and heritage vehicles

10am to 8pm: Floral and Gardening Marquee

10am to 10pm: Exhibits/trade village, arts and crafts marquee, festival food marquee, community marquee, 4-U Kids, Extreme Zone

Noon to 4pm: Balloon tethering (weather permitting)

Noon to 5pm: Arena entertainment

Noon to 9pm: Musician's Union music stage

6pm: Balloon launch (weather permitting)

9.30pm/dusk: nightglow

SUNDAY

6am: Balloon launch (weather permitting)

10am to 4pm: Classic and heritage vehicles

10am to 6pm: Floral and gardening marquee

10am to 7pm: Exhibits/trade village, arts and crafts marquee, festival food marquee, community marquee, 4-U Kids, Extreme Zone

Noon to 4pm: Balloon tethering (weather permitting)

Noon to 5pm: Arena entertainment

Noon to 7pm: Musician's Union music stage

5pm: Grand sale in floral and gardening marquee

6pm: Balloon launch (weather permitting).

For more information about this year's Southampton Festival click the link on the 'This is Southampton' homepage.