This weekend, a diverse mix of cartoonists and enthusiasts will be gathering in Shrewsbury for the ninth annual Shrewsbury International Cartoon Festival. I've been along as a non-participant for the past two years, and this year I'll be taking part as one of the official festival cartoonists for the first time.

I'll be one of about a dozen cartoonists completing a 'Big Board' - a cartoon measuring six foot by eight foot, since you ask - right in the centre of the Market Square. I'll be drawing on Friday and Saturday, so if you're in the area, come along and say hello!

This year's theme is 'Flight', and without wishing to give the game away, I'll be drawing a cartoon that has appeared in print and also on this website (and not too long ago, too)...

This will be the first time I've cartooned in public, and I certainly don't tend to draw as large as that, so it's a daunting prospect - even more so after seeing the quality of Big Boards in previous years - but I'm really looking forward to it.

There will also be live (and free!) caricaturing going on nearby, and cartoonists will be drawing gags on the spot around town. Steve Bell of The Guardian is giving a talk on Saturday morning (tickets are a mere £6) and the editorial team from Reader's Digest will be holding a session giving advice on how to get your cartoons published. There are also a host of workshops and exhibitions, giving you the chance to see a wide range of art styles, and perhaps even buy some original artwork at a very reasonable price.

More information on the festival can be found here, and you can get a taster by watching this nice little video from last year. It's always great fun and gets bigger every year (and is also a great excuse for cartoonists to get together over a drink) - so if you can make it along, and if you're not running the London Marathon, do visit Shrewsbury this weekend!

More on my Big Board, and the rest of the weekend, after the fact...