Fringe boasts stellar list of acts

* The Easy Star All-Stars.

Llangollen Fringe Festival will return for its 19th edition this year, from July 14-24.

It will see over 5,000 people visit the town over 11 days of music, theatre, dance, literature and more.

The Fringe has become renowned for the famous names it is able to attract to the small corner of North East Wales in the Dee Valley and this year is no exception as the festival boasts a stellar list of main attractions.

* Duke Special.

This includes Ska Legends The Selecter, Supergrass drummer Danny Goffey’s new band Vangoffey - also featuring members of Babyshambles and other well-known bands - World/Reggae fusion pioneer Jah Wobble and TS Eliot poetry prize winner Sarah Howe who open the first weekend.

The party carries on through the week with US reggae heavyweights The Easy Star All-Stars, famous for their inspired reggae tribute albums such as Dub Side of the Moon and Radiodread which this year celebrates its 10th anniversary.

Welsh music prize winner Gwenno and Belfast’s Duke Special round off the week.

The closing weekend packs just as much of a punch, with headline slots from post punk legends Gang of Four, dance floor fillers Dreadzone and a finale outdoor concert with the Spain’s Ultra High Flamenco, in the breathtaking surroundings of Valle Crucis Abbey.

There are also numerous workshops, themed concerts on the Steam Railway and Canal Boats and family activities throughout the festival.

* Gwenno.

This year’s edition has a sad note, in that it marks the passing of one of the founders of the event, Dave Lee, who sadly died this year.

A spokesperson for the festival said: “We’re really sad to hear that Dave has passed, he was one of the founders of the festival back in 1997 and brought many great bands, performers and public figures to Llangollen. We’d like to dedicate this year’s event to his memory.”

Tickets for the whole festival are on sale now. Priced at £85, the festival ticket allows access to all of the main events across the 11 days.

* Festival tickets and full listings are available from www.llangollenfringe.co.uk, or by calling the Fringe box office on 0800 1455 779.