Organisers of Calne Music and Arts Festival have vowed to make this year's programme more ambitious than ever.

The popular festival will run from October 3 to 12 featuring both local and national artists.

Festival committee chairman Peter Treloar said: "The theme this year is English perspectives encompassing both art and music. It is the 50th anniversary of Vaughan Williams' death and his music will be featured in a number of events."

The festival opens with street entertainment on October 4. Calne's Samba band will be entertaining crowds outside Sainsbury's in The Pippin from 10am. At noon Calne town crier Mark Wylie will officially declare the festival open.

Also on Saturday from 10am to noon at Marden House Genevieve Browne will hold an art workshop, The Big Draw, for Save the Children's Doves for Peace campaign. All materials will be supplied to create doves to enter in the Nobel Peace Prize Festival in Oslo.

The folk music session is at The Kings Arms on October 3, and on October 6 top folk band New Scorion will perform at Marden House. There will be an organ recital and poetry reading at St Mary's Church on October 8, an evening of English music at Marden House on October 7.

Blues fans can catch the Tony Goldsmith Blues Band at Marden House on October 11 and there will be a belly dance workshop on October 8 at the library.

Calne Silver Band and Chippenham Male Voice Choir will give a concert at the town hall on October 8. The festival finale, held on October 12 at Marden House, will celebrate the two weeks of events.

Box office (01249) 814000. Full programme on www.calnemusicandartsfestival.co.uk