Top entertainers for Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen's

Getting underway on October 15, the festival programme features exclusive, one-off, performances from local music legend Paul Brady, Afrobeat star Tony Allen and US singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter.

Taking place at over 30 venues across the city and featuring more than 60 big-name acts across 16 days, this year's festival programme looks set to be the best yet.

Festival Director, Graeme Farrow, said this year's line-up would secure Belfast and Northern Ireland's place as a world-class destination for arts entertainment.

"We thought that last year's programme would be hard to beat, but I'm delighted to say that we have managed to do just that. With a hectic schedule that is bursting with the most talented artists from every area of the arts world, there's never been a better time to get involved."

"Almost 40,000 attended last year's Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen's and we want to push that number higher again this year," Graeme added.

Must-see highlights of the festival include a rare performance by Paul Brady with the Ulster Orchestra, at the Belfast Waterfront on 16 October. Five-time Grammy winner and country-folk legend Mary Chapin Carpenter will be performing at the Grand Opera House on the 24 October and drummer extraordinaire Tony Allen is joined by a ten-piece ensemble when he plays the Mandela Hall at Queen's on 29 October.

Music fans will also be treated to a live performance from Grammy-award winning artist Imogen Heap on the 27 October at the Empire Music Hall. Ava Astaire McKenzie will host a musical tribute night to her father, Fred Astaire, on the 27 October at the Ulster Hall. 'Putting on your Top Hat' will feature original orchestrations and musical number from films including Top Hat and Shall We Dance.

For theatre lovers, the Grand Opera House will be showing Alan Bennett's latest play for the National Theatre, The Habit of Art from the 26-30 October.

The full line-up for the 48th Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen's will be unveiled on the 23 August, when the official festival programme is launched.

To find out more about the Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen's and to book tickets for this year's highlights please log on to www.belfastfestival.com