The annual Canterbury Festival kicks off in the city this weekend.

It lasts a fortnight, and will see more than 200 events in a huge variety of genres including world music, theatre, dance, literature, comedy and visual arts.

This year will see the arrival of a Spiegeltent for the first time, a decorative, 1920s travelling dance hall which will host a packed programme of theatre, music and cabaret.

Highlights include Australian circus company Casus who will be presenting their new show Knee Deep, comedic ventriloquist Nina Conti and cabaret with the gorgeous Lili La Scala.

Some well-known names will be making an appearance, including British soprano Lesley Garrett, veteran TV presenter Johnny Ball, and Australian comedian Adam Hills.

There will also be performances from home-grown Kent acts, including Canterbury groups Coco and the Butterfields and Oysterband, and folk singer songwriter Luke Jackson, also from the city.

This year's event also sees an increased number of family-friendly shows, including Baby Loves Disco, a party for the under 7s (and their parents) and two shows with Squashbox Theatre combining puppetry, cabaret, music and natural history.

The Canterbury Festival starts at noon on Saturday, October 19 with the annual Opening Parade, featuring the East Kent Giants and an explosion of live music and colour.

It will start in the Cathedral Precincts and move through Canterbury via Whitefriars to end in Rose Square.

Canterbury Festival runs from Saturday, October 19 to Saturday, November 2.

For information or to book tickets, visit www.canterburyfestival.co.uk, call 01227 787787 or drop into the Festival Box Office at the Marlowe Theatre, open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm.