JULIE Tait is doing her absolute up most to bring the best outdoor performers in the world to South Lakeland.

It has become her raison d’etre to create a world-class series of street theatre events, staged throughout summer.

As far as that particular genre of entertainment goes, Nicole et Martin are pretty much at the top of the tree.

Over tea and cake, Julie, director of Kendal Arts International, extols the finer points of the Swiss duo to me, and explains how she travelled to Europe earlier this year to see all three of their shows before committing to bringing them to the Lakes this summer: “I was immediately struck by the atmosphere created by the company with their beautiful and authentic trailers and caravans.

“When I saw the shows the adults watching seemed totally amazed and amused and the young people were just rapt by the whole experience.”

Julie points out that the three shows are quite different and involve high energy routines, many different styles of music (they play a dozen or so different instruments between them), captivating storytelling techniques and stunning costumes and masks.

Their first performance at Ambleside is part of a season of events put on by Julie’s Kendal Arts International Lakes Alive 08, which began with a big splash in the WOW festival at Windermere and will culminate in magnificent Mintfest around the highways and byways of Kendal on August 29/30/31. Using music, storytelling and simple props, they re-tell traditional fairy stories from central Europe, including Hansel and Gretel, The Bremen Town Musicians and the Fisherman and his Wife.

In the grand tradition of circuses everywhere, a convoy of trailers and caravans arrive and the company build a camp around their White Tent, an intimate space for just 200 people.Their 70-minute shows are suitable for all ages from five years upwards and Julie says they’ve had sell out successes wherever they go, including the eminent Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2006.

They perform Hansel and Gretel at Ambleside Rothay Park on Thursday, August 7 (4pm) and Friday, August 8 (7pm); the Fisherman and His Wife on August 9 (7pm) and the Musicians of Bremen on August 10 (4pm).

The following week the show moves to Ulverston Ford Park with Hansel and Gretel in the spotlight on Wednesday and Thursday, August 13/14 (both 7pm); the Fisherman and His Wife on Friday, August 15 (7pm) and the Musicians of Bremen on Saturday (7pm) and Sunday (2.30pm) August 16/17. Kendal’s Gooseholme Park provides the stage under the Mintfest banner for Hansel and Gretel on Thursday (7pm) and Friday (4.30pm) August 28/29, with performances of the Fisherman and His Wife on Saturday, August 30 (4.30pm) and the Musicians of Bremen on Sunday, August 31 at 12.30pm.

Tickets for the shows cost £8 for adults or £5 for under-16s and the unwaged and they are available from the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal on 01539-725133 or in person from Ambleside Tourist Information Centre, for the Ambleside shows, and The Coronation Hall in Ulverston, for Ulverston shows.

Although Mintfest is a few weeks ahead, I’ll just give you a snapshot of what else is to come.

Mintfest on the Road, precedes the main staging of the Kendal festival, with outdoor performers providing a taster with shows at Hawkshead Recreation Field on August 27, and Broadgate Meadow, at Grasmere, the day after. Both shows are free and run from 2pm-4.30pm.

Meanwhile, the three-day Mintfest show opens on Friday, August 29, from 8pm-10pm, at Noble’s Rest on Maude Street, with Cliffhanger, a real life silent movie inspired by Buster Keaton's Convict 13. Also included will be Tuig, from the Netherlands, which presents Salto Vitale, a poetic strip cartoon in which fire, air, water and human power, slowly lifts a man 14 metres into the air to achieve an alchemic transformation.

The evening spectacle finishes with a Spanish-style fireworks finale from pa-Boom.

The following day (Saturday) Kendal town will be awash with street theatre, including performers at six static sites with 20 top outdoor acts and a mass of roving performers.

Abbot Hall will provide the backdrop to Mintfest Garden of Delights, from 7.30pm-10.30pm and on Sunday, from 1pm-5.30pm, when, among the many installations, activities and car boot sale with a ‘difference,’ will be the world’s largest pig.

Mintfest Rhythms of the World is on the Saturday, at the Brewery, with a sparkling line-up of music from across the world, including Germany’s 17 Hippies making their debut with their Eastern-European influenced world dance.

Kendals’ own Youth Jazz Orchestra kick off the Sunday, August 31 session.

Prepare to be astounded, captivated, amazed and above all – entertained!