THE world premiere of a Derbyshire-created show will be the highlight of a three-day festival starting in Derby next Friday.

The Annual Derby Traditional Music and Arts Festival has been extended to three days this year and will spread events out between the Assembly Rooms and Guildhall Theatre from October 24-26.

The premier on Saturday afternoon, at 2pm, is Waltzers and Wonders: The Wakes is in Town, an audio visual production and live music show with songs telling the stories of the Midlands fairgrounds from Victorian times. It will be performed by The Ram Company, a nine-piece band drawn from the cream of the Derbyshire folk scene.

John Tams, the award-winning Derbyshire folk musician and patron of the festival, is particularly looking forward to the Ram Company's performance.

"It's a show born in Derbyshire that celebrates the old fairgrounds," he says. "A great afternoon, done without any Arts Council investment, grown from a seed which they have put their heart and soul into."

This year's festival also brings together a diverse bill including Bellowhead, Vin Garbutt, Julie Fowlis, Finest Kind, Bob Fox and Stu Luckley, Kerr, Fagan and Harbron, Elbow Jane, Pete Morton and many more.

Bellowhead, the 11-piece folk rock band voted Best Live Act at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2008 will be another major attraction.

John says: "They are the hottest band, not just on the folk scene but in world and roots music and so it's great to get them for this festival. They are not just nationally renowned but probably will be globally renowned in the next year or so. A remarkable outfit."

Another BBC Folk Award winner on the bill is Julie Fowlis, who sings in Gaelic.

"Only 60,000 people understand what she sings about," says John. "She sings in the language of the angels and she has the voice of an angel. It makes for a beautiful noise and a great celebration of Gaelic culture."

John will be working with Julie later in the year and has had to learn to sing in Gaelic.

"I have learnt the songs phonetically," he says. "She explains to me what they mean and I try and give them the confidence they deserve."

John is delighted to be patron of the festival and to see it thrive in Derby.

"Derby has been a hub of folk music, both traditional and contemporary, for a long time," he says. "In some ways this is a celebration of that. It is essentially a Derbyshire festival but people come from miles around as they are convinced it's a very important festival."

DERBY TRADITIONAL MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL

WHERE: Derby Assembly Rooms and Guildhall Theatre

WHEN: October 24-26.

TICKETS: Weekend £50, child £10, family £110. Individual tickets from £9-£19 (family from £23-£53). Indoor camping available.

BOX OFFICE: 01332 255800.

INFORMATION: 01773 853428.