Musicians from far and wide will toast the launch of this year's Bradford Festival with a drop of the black stuff.

A galaxy of stars from the Celtic music scene is lined up to play at the inaugural Guinness Festival Fling.

The three-day open-air extravaganza will take place from June 26 to 28 in Centenary Square.

The event will kick off this year's Caf Bradford, which will be the focus of Bradford Festival until it reaches its climax with the Lord Mayor's Carnival Parade on July 11. There will be tables and chairs and stalls selling food drink throughout the festival fortnight.

Admission to the Guinness Festival Fling is free and the music will begin on all three days at lunchtime and continue until the evening.

Headlining on June 26 are the Tartan Amoebas, a seven-piece world music outfit who combine elements of Scottish, jazz, Celtic and folk styles and have performed at major festivals such as T In The Park as well as at the premiere of the smash hit film Braveheart.

Celtic Chaos, featuring Leeds-based performer Brendan Croker, are the main band on stage on June 27. Croker, who is best known for playing with outfits such as the Notting Hillbillies and 5 O'Clock Shadow, has pulled together luminaries from other groups especially for this Saturday night party band.

Another supergroup will perform in Centenary Square on June 28.

Kavana, McNeill and Lupari, made up of members of Ron Kavana, the Battlefield Band and Four Men and A Dog will be on stage before Celtic dance band Kila round off the fling on the Sunday evening.

Other bands taking part over the three days include cosmopolitan Celtic dance band the Peatbog Faeries, based on the Isle of Skye; Irish folksters Oige, from County Derry; Yorkshire-based Latin and Celtic crossover specialists Salsa Celtica; Mancunian roots act Ceile and Dublin-based septet Kila.

A Bradford Festival spokesman said: "It's your chance to catch the cream of the latest crop of Celtic bands - from rumbustious to innovative and back to traditional, with surprises along the way."

Organisers hope the fling will raise public awareness of Caf Bradford at the start of the festival.

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