Q: What can audiences expect this year?

A: A dazzling mix of all kinds of music, dance, theatre, comedy, circus, craft and food! There’s colour and spectacle, opportunities to learn something new (ever tried playing the ukulele? Or carving fruit?) and surprises all around in the way of street theatre and music.

You can catch a comedy show, an outdoor play, be part of our World Party, watch Bollywood dance then give it a go, and not to be missed, our finale Basingstoke Live!

Q: What’s it like putting something like this together?

A: Three words come to mind – exciting, frantic and nervewracking! But I wouldn’t miss it for the world.

What I love most is uncovering the hidden treasures that the area has to offer and of course all the amazing creative talent.

Part of the festival is about ensuring we showcase this talent, alongside the UK and international acts, to people who may not have seen it before – and we do this through the Festival Presents programme of Sunday entertainment at the Top of the Town.

This year the Festival events we have arranged are more spectacular than ever, such as the free mass parade with a giant mechanical turtle and featuring 300 local schoolchildren, choirs and dance groups.

It can get frenetic when I’m trying to get everything finalised – this is a fringe-style festival so I can’t always predict what other community gems will form part of the programme until right up to the deadlines.

Q: What’s the best bit for you of co-ordinating the Festival?

A: I love the way I have to be constantly on the lookout for new events and activity that’s unique and quirky and nurturing new talent is always especially rewarding.

This year we have invested in Art Lab, which is new work seen for the first time.

Alongside all of this, I want the festival to be a showcase for local talent alongside a stage for national and international art, whether it’s something at The Anvil or a piece of street entertainment.

By getting funding from the Arts Council for the Festival I’ve been able to include some fantastic free events this year like the Carnival Parade and the Sunday entertainment at the Top of the Town to bring that little bit of extra buzz to the festival season.

Q: What inspired Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council to host a Festival?

A: The Council recognises how important arts, culture and entertainment are to an area – they make it a vibrant place to live in and to visit and help bring people together in celebration. It’s a great opportunity to showcase homegrown artists and entertainers and bring in talent from the outside. It also provides wonderful new experiences for everyone.

Q: Tell us a bit about your background.

A: I came to the UK from Australia 12 years ago and worked in this country for Emergency Exit Arts as the executive director and four years ago started the Basingstoke Festival. I came from Adelaide, South Australia - known as the ‘festival state’. Festivals of all kinds were all around me. This gave me a love of the arts and an appetite for the best that the world had to offer.

Q: What’s special to you about Basingstoke?

A: Over the years the borough has invested in the arts so there is a track record of people participating and watching art - particularly music, dance and theatre. It reminds me of the sort of suburbs of Adelaide, where the arts can add dynamism and vitality.

I love the diverse range of venues – from The Anvil and the Haymarket through to the walled garden. And the enthusiasm of local people who are willing to get involved in the festival really excites me.

Basingstoke has this incredible energy through its creative talent – from amateur groups like dance schools through to professional theatre companies like Proteus.

Basingstokefestival.co.uk