VISITORS to this year's Bewdley Fringe can expect a wide variety of music from blues and jazz to rock 'n' roll.

The event will open next Friday with folk duo The Jamesons at The George Hotel, Load Street at 8pm.

Live music will also come from The Celtic Rogues at The Talbot, Newnham Bridge on Saturday, October 2, and jazz ensemble, The Howard Shelton Quartet at The George Hotel, Load Street at 9pm.

Musicians Eddie Morton and The Bushburys will perform at The George Hotel on Friday, October 7 at 8pm and bluegrass act, Ridge Top Mountain Boys will play there on Saturday, October 8 at 8pm.

Rock act Viva Finito will be entertaining crowds at the George Hotel on Sunday, October 9 at 8pm and local band Amoeba will play at The Talbot, High Street, on Wednesday, October 12 at 8pm.

Doctors Orders will perform at the same venue on Thursday, October 13 and Bewdley rock band The Bravo Boys will play at The George Hotel on Friday, October 14.

Three art exhibitions will take place during the festival including the Worcester Collection of Contemporary Art and Sculpture, which will be on display at Curradine Barns, Church Farm, Shrawley until October 2.

The Kidderminster Art Society will also be displaying work at The Quay Gallery, Severnside North, from October 10 until October 15 and paintings by musician Barret Hadley will be on display at The Black Boy Hotel from October 7 until October 9.

Young dancers aged between six and 16 can take part in a Dance Funtasia workshop in St George's Hall on October 10 and students at Bewdley High School will be performing in their production Shakers on October 6, 7 and 8 at 7.30pm.

Festival co-organiser, Steve Humphreys, said: "It has been a lot of hard work, how we have managed it I'm not quite sure.

"It will be here before we know it and we are really looking forward to it," he added.

For further information about tickets and other events contact the Bewdley Festival Office on 01299 494808.