A FESTIVAL promoting homegrown talent launches today (Saturday).

Stevenage Festival returns with a packed programme of events and performances centred on the arts.

Many of the shows take place at the town’s Gordon Craig Theatre, including Legends of the Tor on the opening night, when Stevenage Symphony Orchestra will perform alongside schoolchildren.

There’s also a film festival at the theatre between June 18-21, a Dance Extravaganza! from Stevenage dance school students on June 25 and a Knebworth Players’ production of Jeffrey Archer play Beyond Reasonable Doubt on June 27-28.

Away from the Lytton Way venue, a series of fringe events which form part of the bi-annual festival are also being held.

Highlights include a country walk by The Friends of the Forster Country, which will be launched outside The Thomas Alleyne School on June 15 by former Stevenage MP Barbara Follett, and a talk by the Stevenage Locomotive Society at the Community Arts Centre on the Roaring Meg Retail Park on June 27.

The two-week festival concludes at the Gordon Craig with four performances of one-person play Stevenage between June 27-29 – see this week’s Venue for more – and a Last Night of the Proms’ concert on June 29.

“We’ve pulled together a cracking few weeks of entertainment that literally has something for everyone and takes place right here on your doorstep,” said festival chairman Ron Walker.

“Stevenage has got lots of homegrown high quality talent and this is your opportunity to see it in action.”

For a full programme of events visit www.stevenage-festival.co.uk