Kent's major arts festival, the Canterbury Festival, has a history dating back to the 1920s. Here are the top picks from this year's programme.

The Canterbury Festival, which runs from Saturday, October 15 to Saturday, October 29, is the biggest event of its kind in the region and is expected to draw 70,000 people to 200 events.

The blend of free and ticketed things to do offers classical and popular music, theatre, talks, walks and exhibitions at venues throughout the city and beyond.

The highlight of the opening day is a carnival parade at 5.30pm. Three hundred local school pupils and members of community groups will be taking to the city streets with beautiful colourful paper and light sculptures made from recycled materials, music and movement.

Later that day, the Soweto Gospel Choir perform at the Opening Concert at Canterbury Cathedral at 8pm.

On Sunday, October 16 at 7.30pm, the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, with talented violinist Nikita Boriso-Glebsky plays at the newly re-built Marlowe Theatre.

This year's festival also ventures into the world of science and the Arts, with Robert Winston's talk, Science and God, at Shirley Hall on Tuesday, October 18 at 8pm.

Children are well catered for throughout the festival with a range of entertaining performances and workshops. These include snowman tale Snow Play which has lots of audience involvement for the over-threes. It's at the Gulbenkian Theatre, on Saturday, October 15.

This year's Festival Exhibition at the Cathedral Chapter House is In the Presence of Nature, by Jonathan Trayte, showcasing bronze sculptures plated in precious metals or coated with meticulously painted layers, from Saturday, October 15 to Friday, October 28.

Events beyond the city include the tragic love story of Madam Butterfly brought to the stage of the Theatre Royal, Margate, by Mid Wales Opera at 7.30pm on Tuesday, October 18.

More details on the festival atwww.canterburyfestival.co.uk