TITUS Salt's historic streets will heave with thousands of visitors to this year's Saltaire Festival, whose organisers unveiled its events programme at a party in the village's famous mill tonight.

The ten-day extravaganza of art, music, and outdoor eating starts on Friday, September 11, with the Saltaire Brewery beer festival, a performance of the acclaimed drama Made in the Great War and David Hockney's Arrival of Spring exhibition.

"People sometimes tend to forget that the Festival runs for a full, packed ten days," said its deputy chairman Julie Hemmings.

"The first weekend is always really brilliant and is a nice relaxed affair where people can just walk around the village and just stumble across things as they go around the Open Gardens and Sculpture Trail.

"Sculptor Sam Shendi, whose work was really popular last year is one of those exhibiting again.

"We had at least 5,000 visitors to the first weekend last year and again it will have more of a family feel and there are loads of children's activities which are mainly free.

"Fun for youngsters on the first Saturday include a visit from the Greenside Alpacas to Roberts Park, where they will also can find entertainer Magic Johnson, face-painting and family painting classes or wander up to Shipley Glen Tramway to take part in a treasure hunt.

"People really like to explore Shipley when they come and there will also be some fascinating pop-up houses in the village which people can go into and look around."

Events continue throughout the week in the village's pubs and venues, one highlight being the popular comedy night at the Caroline Club on Wednesday, September 16.

The continental market makes its return on Friday, September 18, and stays firmly in place for three days selling every form of food delight.

Daytime events on the second weekend include the Northcliffe Motors classic car show, a vintage fair in Victoria Hall and much more.

And Saturday and Sunday the big days for music on the Roberts Park main stage with bands including The Craig Brauns Band and the Beatleaders.

Saltaire Festival chairman Ros Garside said Salts Mill was the perfect place to unveil this year's community celebration and thanked owner Maggie Silver for her support.

"We've got a really wide-ranging programme this year with 110 occasions for people to do something different.

"And we hope everyone comes along and enjoys it," she said.

The Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Joanne Dodds, said the festival was something the whole district looked forward to.

"?It's fantastic, a real cultural and community event from which everyone benefits.

"And the fact it's self funding is excellent."

The festival costs some £60,0000 to stage, raised through sponsorship and attracts more than 50,000 visitors.

Bradford Council's executive member for culture, Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, added: "Saltaire Festival is run and managed brilliantly and produces events of great quality."

Shipley MP Philip Davies said:" It really combines the great location of the World Heritage site with real community spirit," he said.