THE first Worcester Festival will bring a colourful variety of music, theatre and fun to the area.

At the opening ceremony, taking place in the city centre from 3pm tomorrow (Saturday), the regimental band of the Royal Coldstream Guards, will be playing, followed by a performance from Chinese lion dancers.

The festival runs until August 26 and a number of performances will take place every night in locations all over Worcester.

On Tuesday, August 12, early music ensemble Music Leonarda will perform in the Friends Meeting House, Sansome Walk, at 7.30pm.

On August 14, 15 and 16, the Worcester theatre company Melting Pot presents A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Commandery, Sidbury.

People interested in the Enigma code-breaking machine will enjoy a talk by Dr Mark Baldwin at Huntingdon Hall, CrownGate on Thursday, August 14, at 8pm.

Volante Strings perform in St Helen's Church, Fish Street, at 8pm on Monday, August 18, and Love Letters, written by American playwright AR Gurney is in Huntingdon Hall on Tuesday, August 19, at 8pm.

Another highlight is the fifth Worcester Cider and Beer festival at Worcester Racecourse on August 14, 15 and 16.

Six singing builders will give a weird and wonderful performance in Cheek, at the Swan Theatre, on August 23, at 8pm.

The festival will end with a massive fireworks display at South Quay, Worcester, at 10.30pm, on Monday, August 25.

For more information about the festival, contact the box office on 01905 611427.