Carlisle and District Music and Drama Festival begins on Monday, and audiences are promised six days of entertainment.
Classes will be held in St Cuthbert’s Church, the Tithe Barn and St George’s United Reform Church.
The festival has now been established for more than 120 years and is the second oldest such festival in the country.
It gives local amateur performers of all ages the chance to demonstrate their talent and compete in classes that cater for all interests.
From vocal and instrumental music through drama to choric speaking, many local schools are taking part to display the outstanding work that takes place in the classroom, preparing the children for performance while building confidence and developing life skills such as team-work and public speaking.
Alongside the schools, the open classes attract entries from across the county, and the age range of competitors stretches from five to 88.
The gala concert on Saturday at 6.30pm, to which all are welcome, provides a showcase of some of the best performances of the week and includes the presentation of trophies and awards to the winners from the week’s competitions.
Admission is £2 a day or become a patron and it is £10 for the whole week.
For more information and details of individual classes, go to the festival website https://www.carlislemusicanddrama.com
