WORLD class performers from around the world will be converging on the North-East next month.

They will be taking part in the 15th Stockton International Riverside Festival, which this year will be in two distinct parts.

There will be an opening weekend of music from July 26 to 28 leading up to the five-hour Feel The Noise Live pop party, followed by four days of street theatre, from August 1 to 4, and culminating in a festival finale.

Throughout the festival, a big top marquee will feature more than 30 music, circus and theatre shows in 11 days from July 25.

Returning to Stockton after a four-year absence is the popular Circus of Horrors, with Ringmaster Haze, his live band and a gallery of grotesque circus characters, from July 25 to August 4.

Street theatre will once again be at the heart of the festival and this year's programme links with the Spirit of Friendship Festival of the Commonwealth Games and will showcase companies from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ghana.

Many of these appear on a free international stage, from August 2 to 4, which features a host of cabaret style performers.

There will also be outdoor performances by The Lunatics from Holland, Belgian company OkidOK2, making their debut in Stockton, and Spanish company Alkimia 130's show Arde, which combines an Oriental air of mystery with fire effects.

Stockton High Street will burst into life on August 3 with colour and music during the community carnival. This year, the theme is Homage a Versace and visitors will be treated to performances by hundreds of participants including 30 stilt walkers and 20 drummers.

The following day the curtain will be brought down on the festival with an Anglo-Australian co-production involving eRTH Visual and Physical (Sydney) and pa-Boom (Manchester).

The event is called Bushfire and includes pyrotechnic effects, a fire storm, a forest of gigantic inflatable prehistoric plants and a five-metre long giant lizard.