MUSIC-lovers from across the North West will be flocking to Darwen this weekend for its annual free music festival Darwen Live.

In its seventh year, Darwen Live has grown into the biggest event in the town's calendar and the best free music festival in Lancashire.

This year organisers have managed to attract big names including, '70s heroes The Blockheads, '60s folk legend Julie Felix, Deborah Bonham, younger sister of Led Zeppelin's John Bonham, and Neville Staple, from The Specials.

According to organiser Gary Ward, of Darwen Music Projects, this year's event looks set to be the biggest and the best.

"We've got the best-ever line-up this year and I'm really looking forward to it," he said.

"We're expecting 10,000 each day and if it's anything like previous years the atmosphere will be amazing. So far I've had an email from someone wanting directions from Middlesborough and phone calls from Blockheads fans from all over so we're attracting people from all over the country."

Eight venues across the town centre are hosting gigs an open-air theatre in the town centre, Darwen Library Theatre, Marigolds function room, The Millstone, The Crown, The Tower Room, The Catholic Club and the Knott Street community centre.

And with several fringe venues also hosting, the festival offers something for everyone, with big names playing alongside a selection of East Lancashire's best-loved pub bands.

"This year will see international recording artists sharing the stage with unsigned bands trying to make a name for themselves," said Gary.

"The festival really started picking up about three years ago when we got The Buzzcocks. That really lifted our profile."

The full-programme will be available to buy at the festival, but Sunday's big-hitters Neville Staple and his band will play the main stage at 6.15pm, followed by Deborah Bonham. And Julie Felix will play Darwen Library Theatre at 6pm.

On Monday Gone Beggin' will play the main stage at 6.15pm, followed by The Blockheads. The Baghdaddies will play Darwen Library Theatre at 2pm.

And music-lovers will also get the chance to broaden their horizons. Thanks to a £5,000 Awards For All lottery grant, the festival will also offer world and roots music in the Tower Room and workshops, including Hindu food and fashion and an African dancing workshop.

The festival was born in 1999 when Blackburn with Darwen Council allocated funding to organise a series of summer events to celebrate the new millennium.

The first Darwen Live Festival in 2000 was a major success featuring local bands, community bands and street entertainers. Such was the success, the local council granted funding for the following year, and so on.

The forecast isn't predicting sunshine but Gary said the acts were so good there was no chance of it turning into a damp squib.

"Whatever the weather's like, the line-ups are good and interesting enough to keep people happy. I'm wearing my shorts anyway."