A MONTH-LONG arts festival featuring music, dance, film and theatre kicks off in Ilkley this weekend with a classical guitar concert at Myddleton Lodge.

Czech guitarist Vladislav Blaha will appear on Sunday (November 12) at 7.45pm at the Lodge on Langbar Road as part of the Ilkley Millennium Arts Festival.

Tickets, priced £6/£4, are available from (01943) 831749/830447.

Now in its fourth year, the annual autumn festival, organised by the Ilkley and District Arts Federation, offers a rich programme of events, including free lectures.

The first of these is on Wednesday (November 15) at 7.45pm at St John's Church, in Ben Rhydding, when recording artist James Griffett will give a lecture entitled From Tufty to the Salzberg Festival. For more information call (01943) 601538.

The Ilkley Players also get in on the festival action this week as they take to the stage for The Road to Mecca, a thought provoking modern classic set in South Africa.

The performance, at Ilkley Playhouse, runs from next Tuesday to Saturday, November 18.

Tickets are available from the box office on (01943) 609539.