A month of great entertainment starts in Ashford this week.

The Summer Sounds season celebrates a range of musical styles, including jazz, orchestral, folk, blues and also includes the town’s carnival.

The entertainment on offer includes:

Ashford Jazz Festival, Thursday to Sunday

The festival begins with Jazz at County Square between 8pm and 10.30pm, featuring the Highworth Jazz Orchestra and internationally-renowned jazz trumpeter Henry Lowther.

It ends ends on Sunday with Jazz at The Albion between 4pm and 10.30pm, including acts Burt Butler’s Jazz Pilgrims and Engine Clutch and Gearbox.

On Friday Jazz at The George, from 8pm to 11pm, presents the Ashford Jazz Festival Quintet among other acts.

Two events are scheduled for Saturday: the High Street Jazz Alfresco from 10am to 4pm, with the Bill Barnacle Band playing among others, and Saturday Night Jazz at County Square, an evening of jazz beginning 8pm.

Admission to all events is free, except for Saturday Night Jazz, which costs £5.

Egerton Music Festival, Friday, July 4 to Sunday, July 13

The festival brings together music ranging from opera, orchestral, and choral and chamber music to barbershop, jazz, blues, and folk.

For details, including admission times, go to www.egertonmusicfestival.co.uk

Ashford’s Big Weekend and Carnival, Saturday, July 12 and Sunday, July 13

The fun starts at 10am on Saturday in the town centre, with the 10th Ashford Folk and Country Day on stages in the High Street, Park Mall and County Square.

The entertainment for carnival day on Sunday, begins at 11am, including street theatre and music.

The carnival parade leaves Stanhope at 4pm and will reach the town centre later that evening.

Ashford’s Festival in the Park, Saturday, July 19, and Sunday, July 20

The festival, at North Park, Tannery Lane, features local bands and artists performing live music and dance, and includes a fun fair and food and drink stalls.

The festival is sponsored by Ashford businesses and organisations, and aims to raise money for charitable performing arts groups in Ashford, such as the Ashford Youth Theatre and the UK Dance Academy.

Admission is free, although donations are welcomed.

The festival is on Saturday from 2pm to 11pm and Sunday from 2pm to 10pm.

Create Music Festival, Sunday, July 27

In its thirteenth year, the festival is a free one-day event which is expected to attract about 5,000 people to Victoria Park, Ashford.

Headline act are the 21st Century Stones and other attractions include rock and DJ workshops, the Right Track Music School stage, Monty Hammond and Sons and a fun fair.

The festival begins at noon and finishes about 8pm.