The countdown is officially on for this year’s Canterbury Festival, promising everything from

Tchaikovsky to Turner (soul diva Ruby, that is, not the famous Kent artist).

The city will teem with talent this October with a galaxy of stars offering entertainment for people of all tastes, including classical music, dance, talks and pop.

And there’s also the popular Spiegeltent at Kingsmead to offer a unique experience for festival fans.

Headlining is Irish rock, blues and soul sensation Imelda May at the Marlowe Theatre, while singer-songwriter Newton Faulkner begins his UK tour at the festival.

Ballet Black brings an edgy and powerfully choreographed show to delight dance fans, while author and Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge is in conversation with Telegraph food writer Xanthe Clay.

Festival director Rosie Turner said: “The line-up for 2017 is one of the strongest ever.

“It positions young talent from Kent alongside international names in music and performance. From the quirky to the classical, there’s something for the culture-vulture and

fun-seeker alike.”

The programme runs from October 14 to November 4 in and around Canterbury, with more than 200 events across three weeks.

The classical offering includes a dash of Russian romance from the St Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, with a repertoire of Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, and Rimsky-Korsakov.

Uzbekistan-born French pianist Mikhail Rudy’s programme takes in Russian composer Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, and a musical interpretation of the art of Chagall, while pianist Freddy Kempf returns with a heady rendition of Rachmaninov’s Etudes Tableaux.

The stunning 1920s vintage Spiegeltent hosts Australian circus sensation Casus in residence for three nights, and family-friendly circus of a more slapstick variety with the Trash Test Dummies.

There’s also the hilarious Kiwi comedy act Promise and Promiscuity, as well as cabaret superstar and baritone extraordinaire Le Gateau Chocolat (who this summer features in Twelfth Night at the Globe Theatre).

The UK’s favourite R&B singer Ruby Turner is in town for one night, while Oz Clarke drinks to music, BBC Two favourite Jo Harman promises to raise the roof, and former Average White Band member Hamish Stuart brings the Spiegeltent offering to a close.

Tasmin Little – one of the country’s best-loved violinists – premieres Charles Villiers Stanford’s Variations for Violin Solo and Orchestra with the internationally acclaimed English Chamber Orchestra in Canterbury Cathedral, along with Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending.

The festival will also premiere the latest Donnelly & Maltby production, The Masters of Mystery – a Festival-commissioned musical adventure by Canterbury-based composer Ethan Lewis Maltby.

A day is dedicated to Canterbury Sound, the psychedelic and prog-rock scene of the 1960s and 1970s which saw the rise of Soft Machine and Caravan. New this year, Made in Kent: Dance showcases three Kent-based dancers and choreographers.

It joins Made in Kent: Comedy, now in its second year, featuring Kent’s best comedic talent through its annual comedy competition and Made in Kent: Theatre which, in its third year, performs The Lamentable Tragedie of the Canterbury Strangler.

Young local musicians perform in lunchtime school concerts in the Spiegeltent, while Canterbury Christ Church University presents a series of concerts at St Gregory’s Centre for Music.

Tapestry of Light by Irene Barberis is a 36-metre glowing artwork which lights up

Canterbury Cathedral’s Chapter House, promising to immerse the viewer in a neon-coloured story of war, peace and the promise of hope.

The full programme is now available to download at www.canterburyfestival.co.uk.