TOWN centre streets are set to become awash with colour as Bolton Festival officially begins today .

The Festival runs from Friday, August 24 to Sunday, September 2, and its presence should be immediately felt as the work of some of the area's most talented artists takes to its streets.

Newport Street will once again turn gallery for an outdoor exhibition of work which will run until Monday, August 27 (excluding Sunday).

There will also be music at lunchtime, today and tomorrow, at Bolton Art Gallery, 12pm to 1.30pm, featuring Carousel String Quartet today, and Amy Liptrot on the harp tomorrow.

Tonight the Ukrainian Independence Day Tenth Anniversary Concert takes place at the Albert Halls, from 7.30pm. The event features Orlyk, the representative dance ensemble of the Association of Ukrainians in the UK. Tickets are £5 and £3 concessions.

Bolton Little Theatre hosts an evening of laughter tonight, with Max and Moritz, a slapstick tale of two mischievous boys. Performances will be tonight, 7.30pm, and tomorrow, 5pm and 7pm. Tickets are £2.50.

Tomorrow, A History of Bolton at the Lecture Hall in Bolton Central Library, at 2pm, will feature a slide show and talk by Barrie Parker, of Halliwell Local History Society. Admission is free.

The Padeborn Dancers will entertain in Victoria Square from 2pm to 4pm tomorrow. Youngsters from a music school in Padeborn will appear in costume performing a selection of dances from periods in history.

Crazy Creatures day, also in Victoria Square tomorrow, from 11am to 4pm, promises free street entertainment "from another planet". The cast will include robots, space cadets and a troupe of "big heads", together with the more convention face painting fun.