CLEAR your diary for June as the Southend Festival hits town bringing with it a host of events to inspire, fascinate and, above all, entertain.

The annual festival, backed by the Echo and now in its seventh year, is a month-long celebration of art, music, fashion, film, photography, music, performance and publishing.

It started life as a showcase for South East Essex College students, but has grown rapidly to become an event for the whole town.

Festival organiser for the college, Marco Scarola, says: “The event started life as a celebration of students’ end-of-year shows, which included art and fashion shows, and film screenings, and still does. But as this festival of fun has grown in size and stature, it now encompasses so much more, appealing to local people of all ages and of all tastes.”

This year there are more than 30 events throughout the month, many of which are free to attend.

Marco says: “In these dark and gloomy times we want to bring a ray of sunshine to Southend this June. We can’t guarantee the weather, but with the festival we can guarantee to raise a smile. We also raise aspirations with our talented further education and higher education students displaying work and performing at various venues across the town.

“There are also a host of other events at everywhere from the High Street to the Victoria shopping centre and Priory Park, to ensure we get the festival out to as many people as possible.”

He adds: “We’ve had some great support from local sponsors including HSBC, Renaissance Southend and the Cliffs Pavilion, which shows the festival is rapidly growing in importance to Southend.”

For the first time in it’s history the festival’s patrons are all taking part in exclusive events especially created this year.

Kicking off the celebrations is international jazz legend and Southender Digby Fairweather.

Digby has been a professional jazz musician for more than 30 years and is joined by Tony Compton tomorrow as part of the Festival in the Park at Priory Park bandstand from 3pm.

Digby says: “My unquenchable love for Southend has been nurtured principally by awareness of the artistic subcultures, including jazz, of course, which have bubbled jubilantly and continuously beneath our town’s occasionally overly rustic public image of fish ‘n’ chips and Golden Miles.

“To see these subcultures so joyfully displayed in our Southend Festival is both a deserving tribute to the young challenging talents who drive it, and a grand celebration of Southend’s true position in Britain’s cultural heritage.”

Hot on his heels, in another free event, is Southend superstar Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly.

Southend-born indie star Sam Duckworth aka Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly has played at Glastonbury, Reading, toured the US, performed at the BBC Electric Proms and been nominated for an NME Award.

Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly will be performing exclusive acoustic tracks and will compere a High Street music event on June 6 as part of the festival programme.

Sam says: “I just wanted to lend my name and help out local artists, as best as possible, not to feel so isolated being from Southend. It’s a unique place and this is a unique opportunity to celebrate the talents, the arts and media and culture in Southend.”

Bringing the festival to a close is a force to be reckoned with in the shape of Darth Vader star Dave Prowse.

Best known for his performances in the original Star Wars trilogy, Dave’s career has included everything from training Christopher Reeve for Superman, Benny Hill, Hammer Horror, and, of course, the Green Cross Code Man.

An Audience with Dave Prowse takes place in the Pod at South East Essex College on Tuesday, June 30 .

Dave says: “I’ve been lucky enough to be involved in some great projects over the years and I can say I’m just as proud to be part of Southend Festival Seven.

“It’s great that Southend is celebrating all the creative talent it has to offer.

“I’m really pleased to have been invited both as a patron and performer for the festival, which promises to be an exciting mix of events for all ages.”

To keep up to date with Southend Festival news and for the full programme, visit www.southendfestival.com or check the Echo’s listings at www.echo- news.co.uk/events