MUSICPORT 2016, now in its 17th year, brings all kinds of diverse musical experiences alongside all the other elements you would expect from a festival.

Held from October 21 to 23, all under one roof at Whitby Pavilion with six stages, including a DJ stage, a children’s activity dome and an open mic stage, it brings an eclectic mix of musical styles from all over the world blending seamlessly with more familiar home-grown music to create a uniquely different event that has built its reputation on being as friendly, inclusive and non-corporate as it is possible to be.

Main stage highlights this year are The Blockheads, the international legends The Mahotella Queens from South Africa, the anarchic folk band Lynched (Eire), Kathryn Tickell and The Side, Annie Whitehead’s Soupsongs (a tribute to Robert Wyatt) Arstidir (Iceland), top comedian Jeremy Hardy and Moussu T E Lei Jovents (France).

Theatre stage highlights will include jazz guitar legend Martin Taylor, acclaimed poet Lemn Sissay, young bluesman Sean Taylor, guitarist/singer John Smith and the amazing and exuberant 16-piece young Swedish band Varldens.

Headlining the DJ stage (run by Scarborough’s Mr Tooley) on Saturday night is BBC 6Music DJ and frontman of Big Audio Dynamite, Don Letts.

The North Sea stage highlights will include Canadian Geoff Berner (punk/klezmer/politico), Berlin style cabaret from Moscow Drug Club & Edd Bateman’s West African Love Affair.

The cookery stage will this year be run by comedian/celebrity chef/broadcaster Hardeep Singh Kohli with guests, including folk legend Norma Waterson.

There are films and lots of workshops throughout the weekend, including Bollywood dance, music therapy, African dance and more, together with many activities for our younger audience members, including circus skills, storytelling, crafts, and body percussion. One can also join a scratch choir led by Boff Whalley of Chumbawamba.

Highlights of the children's activities will include storytelling by Ursula Holden Gill and junk percussion workshop by Billy Hickling of STOMP.

The world’s smallest solar-powered cinema Sol Cinema will be part of the whole proceedings showing short films with usherettes and popcorn to complete the experience.

There will be a free festival fringe at Rusty Shears in Silver Street with a mix of local and main stage performers, including Lula and The Bebops, Sean Taylor, Bananarama and several more.

And in a move-on from previous festivals on October 24 and 25, sees Musicport taking the festival on tour to surrounding villages for a series of free concerts which will include folk/crossover star Maz O’Connor playing in Glaisdale Church, Kolonien from Sweden playing Ryedale Folk Museum, Lynched playing a pub session with Eliza Carthy at Robin Hood's Bay and Varldens Band playing Hinderwell Village Hall. Sol Cinema will also go on tour in anticipation to the villages in advance of each show.

Organiser Jim McLaughlin said: “It’s always been in my mind that the international performers we get should get the chance to see the beautiful countryside around Whitby and also that the villages should get to experience some of the festival. Being back in half-term this year seemed to be the perfect opportunity and we hope this will become a regular part of the festival from now on.”

For more information, go to musicportfestival.com or phone 01947 603475.