HEAVY rain failed to dampen the spirits of those involved with today’s launch of the 2015 Basingstoke Festival programme.

The skies finally cleared just in time for the giant firebird, the creation of outdoor arts company Emergency Exit Arts, to make its way up Wote Street towards the Willis Museum, joined by performers from Basingstoke Youth Theatre and local dance school JG Dance.

Crowds of the general public watched as the procession then joined the Ingenious Gentlemen band, puppeteer Nick Ash and a group of dancers from Basingstoke Academy of Dance at Market Place in front of the museum.

In attendance at the launch were representatives from local arts organisations, councillors and Basingstoke MP Maria Miller.

The fourth Basingstoke Festival, the theme of which is ‘feeling good’, will run from Friday, June 19 to Sunday, July 12, culminating in the hugely popular two-day music festival Basingstoke Live in War Memorial Park.

The more than 100 events and performances in the 2015 programme include, in addition to arts, music, exhibitions and theatre, a cheese and chilli festival, a carnival parade and a world party in Eastrop Park.

The launch was co-created by the town’s Proteus Theatre Company and supported using public funding by Arts Council England and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

Councillor Cathy Osselton, Cabinet member for partnerships at the borough council, said: "What a fantastic festival programme launch. Such a fun and colourful performance enjoyed by so many families and a real taster for what is in store during the festival.

"This is just the start, there is so much more to come."

Mary Swan, artistic director of Proteus, said: “This year’s Basingstoke Festival is bigger and better than ever before.

“We have some amazing artists from all over the world coming here to perform including internationally acclaimed acrobatic theatre company Mimbre and a whole weekend devoted to family audiences which includes an amazing show set entirely on a trampoline.

“This year the Proteans present As You Like It for their much-anticipated outdoor summer Shakespeare and we have several innovative free street performances including the jaw dropping Memory Man.

“This is a chance for people in Basingstoke to see the best in street performance, new theatre for all ages and pop up events and art happenings right on their doorstep.”

Christine Bradwell, chief executive at Anvil Arts, added: “With Elvis Costello, Russell Watson, Suzanne Vega, Justin Hayward, Katherine Ryan, and the Mexican Philharmonic Orchestra among other headline artists, Anvil Arts is delighted to be a major partner of the Basingstoke Festival once again”.

For more information about the festival log on to basingstokefestival.co.uk. Follow the festival on social media - tweet @BstokeFestival, search for Basingstokefestival on Facebook and #Bstokefestival on Instagram.