Official Festival Opening

St. George's Square and surrounding area

12 noon to 4.OOpm

Song, dance, music and drama on the streets of Hebden Bridge this weekend. Street events timetable available in the Festival Shop.

Rhymes and Rhythms

Paul James Boyle (guitar) and Ian Emberson (poetry)
Artsmill, Linden Mill, Linden Road

6.00pm (to 7.00pm approx)

£5.50

The first contact between them was through painting - Paul used Ian's picture Circus as the CD cover for Little tunes from long ago. Their programme this evening shows a further development, a close blending of Paul's guitar playing with Ian's poetry.

The Hepton Singers Summer Concert

Heptonstall Parish Church

8.00pm (to 10.00pm approx)

£7 (£5); £1 for full-time students and under-16s

The local choir, The Hepton Singers, has been giving a summer concert in Heptonstall Parish Church for more than 30 years. The programme this year is no less varied and innovative than previous years and features 20th century music, including Benjamin Britten's Sacred and Profane, Giles Swayne's setting of the Magni¥cat, Arvo PŠrt's Magni¥cat Antiphons and songs by Thea Musgrave and Arnold Schoenberg.

Raga Nova - sold out

Dharambir Singh (sitar); Jesse Bannister

(alto saxophone); Bhupinder Singh (tabla); R N Prakash (ghatam); Giuliano Modareli (guitar)

Little Theatre, Holme Street, Hebden Bridge

8.00pm (to 10.00pm approx)

£10 (£8)

Beyond Borders: Arts across the world is the main theme of this year's Festival and Raga Nova is the perfect choice to get things going. Formed five years ago as a new initiative to bring Indian classical music to audiences in more accessible forms, the ensemble is unique in its fusing of North Indian classical styles with non-Asian traditions such as samba and jazz. 'Their music is stunningly laid-back . . . an ethnic fusion which is both cool and exhilarating. Raga Nova are excellent.'

www.raganova.com