CHIPPING Sodbury’s biggest summer event gets underway today (Friday, June 10) in regal style.

The town’s annual 10-day festival featuring 55 different concerts, talks, workshops and open days takes on a Kings and Queens theme to mark The Queen’s 90th birthday.

And Chipping Sodbury’s medieval High Street has been decked out in bunting for the highly-anticipated event which will include a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flypast during the crowd-pleasing carnival on Saturday, June 18.

Festival chairman Jim Elsworth said: “Everything is prepared, the bunting is up, tickets are selling well and some of the events are nearing a sell-out.

This year’s programme is a mix of old favourites and some brand new events and watch out for a variety of Kings and Queen’s depictions – they will be everywhere.”

Highlights to this year’s 31st festival include an open day at Hanson Quarry on Saturday, June 11 (11am-4pm), a glam rock evening of Abba music also on June 11 (7.30pm), the ever popular free music in the street on Tuesday, June 14 (7.30pm) and an appearance from former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe, who will give her after dinner talk Life After Westminster, on Thursday, June 16 (7.30pm).

All local primary schools will perform at lunchtime concerts throughout the festival and Chipping Sodbury School will stage an evening performance on Tuesday, June 14 (7.30pm) at the school.

Mr Elsworth will once again present his historic slide show Ever Changing Sodbury on Monday, June 13 (7.30pm) and there will be morning talks each week day on subjects including cheese, flower arranging, birds and Am I related to royalty and workshops on jewellery, card making and flower arranging will take place on weekday afternoons.

Professional musicians to perform during the festival include Jazz Masters and Sinead McCabe, The Flowers Band and Blaxar. This year’s festival is also incorporating the Sodbury Jazz and Blues Festival, which folded last year, with a day of jazz around the town on Saturday, June 11 (9.30am-8pm).

Said Mr Elsworth: “As chairman I am pleased with the way things are shaping up this year.

“I have tried to bring more organisations into the festival and as a result we have the Chamber of Commerce running the window dressing competition and Sodbury Jazz and Blues are alongside us. It has been a long time since Jazz has been part of the Chipping Sodbury Festival and I am pleased to see it back.”

Chipping Sodbury’s colourful carnival will parade through the High Street on Saturday, June 18 (3pm) featuring floats from local schools and clubs all based on a royal theme. Thousands of people are expected to line the streets to watch the procession and enjoy an all-day street fair (10am-5pm) organised by Chipping Sodbury Lions Club. The carnival will be followed by a flypast (3.20pm) from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight including a Lancaster, Hurricane and Spitfire.

Tickets are available from Chipping Sodbury Post Office and Swagger. Locations for events vary, for full listings see chippingsodburyfestival.co.uk