Those interested in a combination of military and civilian performances should head for the display arena. Presentations will include armed and unarmed combat displays and music ranging from the Sea Cadets to military marching bands. Children will feature strongly with performances from local groups involving interactive Robot Wars and Gladiator style games. Spice Island is the name for the Historic Dockyard area of the Festival, where a huge cast of performers and musicians take visitors on a journey back to the year 1801. It is a time when Portsmouth is alive with rumours about a huge French force massing on the other side of the Channel and the main road of the Dockyard is buzzing with military activity.
Street performers keep the troops entertained.
Meanwhile the Georgian inhabitants of Portsmouth go about their daily business in Anchor Lane Street market. Sailors tell tall tales and weave dreams of adventures, of riches and spoils in the exotic Spice Islands, monsters of the deep and the terrors of voyages on un-charted seas. Visitors will be swept along in this colourful pageant, taking time out to browse through the huge array of market stalls. Each day at 2pm there will be a Tri-Service capability demonstration in and around the giant No 3 Basin. The scenario will involve the Royal Marines rescuing hostages from the clutches of a party of rebels who have taken over an island in 3 Basin.