By Nigel Powlson

DERBYSHIRE'S biggest arts extravaganza gets under way next Friday hoping to attract a record number of visitors.

The 19-day Buxton Festival runs from July 10 to 28 featuring a high-quality programme of opera, music and literature as well as a multitude of fringe events.

It hopes to top last year's 41,000 visitors especially after picking up a silver prize in the Best Tourism Experience category at the Enjoy England Awards.

Having won the East Midlands award in October, Buxton Festival organisers were delighted with being recognised by the highest accolades in English tourism.

Buxton Festival's chief executive, Glyn Foley, said: ''The festival attracts faithful audiences from all over the country, so it's great to be recognised as playing a leading role in bringing people to the region."

Sales at the festival, now in its 31st year, have tripled over the last seven years.

It specialises in producing rarely-performed opera and 2009 will see three festival operas, plus three touring productions in rotation at the spa town's opera house.

It will also offer a morning literary series featuring the finest contemporary authors and a high-quality and eclectic afternoon concert series.

Glyn added: "In terms of festivals in Britain, Edinburgh is in a league of its own but after that we are right in there with the other big Bs – Brighton and Bath."

"Opera, music and literature remain the cornerstones of the programme, with international performers, or national performers with international reputations,"

The festival has a £1.1m budget and is expected to have a £3m economic benefit on Derbyshire as visitors come from far and wide to enjoy a packed programme.

The festival's artistic director Andrew Greenwood says: "We can't be the size of Edinburgh so we have to have a specialisation and lesser-known operas is what we do."

Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia, Messager's Veronique and Mendelssohn's Comacho's Wedding are the three festival company productions.

As well as the opera programme, the festival has a star-studded Literary Series that this year features politicians of all persuasions; celebrated novelists; BBC news reporters and specialist speakers.

Cherie Blair will be in conversation talking about her autobiography Speaking For Myself; Paddy Ashdown will give us an insight into his Fortunate Life and conservative leader David Cameron will share his views.

Kate Adie and Gavin Esler are BBC news reporters who will be giving talks alongside best-selling authors Kate Atkinson, Joan Bakewell, Melvyn Bragg and Marina Lewycka.

The music programme features Derby Orchestra Sinfonia Viva performing with Ann Murray; award-winning a cappella group Voces8 in concert at Chatsworth House, pianist Freddy Kempf giving a recital and the internationally acclaimed Barbirolli String Quartet in action.

There will also be a series of guided walks in and around Buxton, opera talks and a 30th anniversary fringe programme featuring some 500 events.

BUXTON FESTIVAL

WHEN: July 10-18.

WHERE: Various venues in and around Buxton.

TICKETS: 0845 127 2190 or www.buxtonfestival.co.uk.