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A performance by the Czech National Symphony Orchestra is set to be one of the star draws of this year's King's Lynn Festival, with their visit just one of two British dates they'll play during their trip.

While the eastern European ensemble, led by conductor Libor Pesek, will close the 58th festival, the event will be opened by the world famous Black Dyke Band, from Bradford.

Broad tastes

The varied line-up - which will run from Sunday, 13 to Saturday, 26 July, 2008 - has been put together by the festival's artistic director Ambrose Miller who has tried to appeal to broad classical tastes.

Lady Jeanne and Sir James Galway.

Spokeswoman Alison Croose said: "He does select programmes very carefully so that they have quite a lot of well-known, familiar and popular music from the classical repertoire which is very important."

Other highlights include an appearance by rising opera star Alfie Boe, a recital by Poet Laureate Andrew Motion, a performance by flautist Sir James Galway accompanied by his wife Jeanne and a return visit by trumpeter Crispian Steele-Perkins, who will run a family workshop before his evening show.

Family fun

Focus on fun activities for the family is an important element of the festival and organisers are pleased to have the expert trumpeter on board to help encourage young musicians on 19 July.

"As well as performing that evening with the orchestra, The Age Of Enlightenment, when Crispian will be the soloist, he's doing his own family programme on the Saturday morning in the All Saints' Church - the oldest church in King's Lynn," said Alison.

"Intriguingly, Hosepipe, Horns And Trumpets is the title - we know it's going to be some fun.

Crispian Steele-Perkins is at two events

"He's going to play all sorts of different music but really just demonstrate how the sounds are made - and that it's possible to do it with a hosepipe!"

People who remember an impressive TV performance by young opera tenor Alfie Boe for last year's Festival Of Remembrance in London will be pleased that they can catch one of his live shows during the two-week event, with organisers hailing the date as a coup.

"He really is a rising star," said Alison. "He's a name to watch - so we're really pleased that it will be a first for him to Norfolk."

Town history

There will also be a chance for people to find out more about the town where the events are clustered, with a guided walk led by local historian Dr Paul Richards on the artist Walter Dexter, examining how Lynn's architecture and townscape influenced the artist born in 1876.

Tickets for all events are available from the King's Lynn Corn Exchange, Tuesday Market Place, on 01553 764864.