More than 200 young people are set to take part in a five-day theatre festival in East Oxford.

The annual Jamboree Festival will be held at the Pegasus Theatre, in Magdalen Road, from Tuesday, July 10, to Saturday, July 14.

Jamboree, a part of the theatre's annual programme, is aimed at celebrating the work of young people and will feature youth and community drama, dance, and music from groups across Oxford.

It is described as a platform for young people from different backgrounds to share and display their work in a professional theatre.

Euton Daley, artistic director of Pegasus, said: "For me, Jamboree demonstrates exactly what I believe Pegasus does best - bringing people together who may not otherwise collaborate.

"I mean not just artists, but young people from the estates working with those from more affluent areas of North Oxford."

As well as being a celebration and festival for the young people who take part in the events at Pegasus all year round, this year's Jamboree will be part of the celebrations for Oxfordshire 2007, the county's 1,000th anniversary.

A wide range of different groups will be taking part, including Catalyst, a theatre group for young people and young adults with learning and physical disabilities, and Asian dance group Arpancor which has members aged from six to adult.

Oxford Youth Theatre group Spin Off, schools, and groups from special schools Iffley Mead and St Christopher's Primary School, will also be involved.

In total, 25 different groups will be performing during the five-day festival.

Mr Daley said: "I believe that what we can achieve for the young people involved in Jamboree is basically an acceptance of who they are and where they are in their personal and social development.

"They will complete Jamboree more confident in themselves and with others.

"They learn to be articulate, with a greater sense of belief in their own ability and gain a greater sense of their community, or communities, and the world around them.

"We're looking forward to Jamboree and are delighted we can give the young people this chance."

Pegasus Theatre has been running the festival since 1998.

As well as performances, there will be a fundraising event after the show in aid of the organisation's refurbishment programme, due to begin next year.

Tickets for Jamboree cost £6, or £4 for concessions, and more information about the various events is available at www.pegasustheatre.org.uk