The two week festival sees a host of big names coming to the town ranging from gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh to Robert Plant guitarist Justin Adams.

Also appearing are Incredible String Band founder Robin Williamson. novelist AS Byatt and former Foreign Secretary David Owen.

Despite the recession the festival has been doing record business with some events selling out even before the box office opened last month.

As usual the festival has a broad appeal covering a wide variety of music, performing arts, literature and art.

As well as performances there will be an art trail, with local artists opening their studios, guided walks in the Rye area and a tour of the Romney Marsh churches.

There is also a full fringe programme with free concerts in local pubs and exhibitions.

The opening day on Saturday sees a performance by World Music virtuosos Justin Adams and Juldeh Cameron fresh from various WOMAD festivals around the globe.

Justin is Robert Plant's guitarist and produced acclaimed desert nomad group Tinariwen.

Juldeh plays an amazingly percussive one-stringed African fiddle and his playing has to be heard to be believed.

They are in concert at Rye Community Centre at 8pm.

Saturday also sees the launch of an exhibition of new work by artist and film director Dave McKean at Rye Art Gallery.

Dave will be giving an illustrated talk at Rye Methodist Church on Tuesday 22 at 7.30pm.

Young perfomers from Rye Dance Centre will be showcasing their skills in a special performance at Rye College, on Saturday at 7pm, called A New Beginning, while London Mozart Players will grace historic St Mary's Church from 7.30pm with a programme that includes work by Mozart, Beethoven and Shostakovich.

Animal Magic is a family concert that takes place at Rye Community Centre on Sunday from 5.30pm while top local blue band Buick Six perform free at the William the Conqueror, Rye Harbour, from 3.30pm.
Guardian cartoonist Steve Bell will be talking about his work at the George Hotel on Sunday afternoon at 3pm.

On Wednesday at 8pm Robin and Bina Williamson will be presenting a celebration of autumn in words and music at Rye Community Centre.

The Rye Art Trail is already up and running and offers the chance to see unusual art displayed in the windows of local shops and houses as well as the town's many galleries and studios.

There is a quality nline-up of comedy for this year's festival with appearances from Barry Cryer and Colin Sell and country and western comedy with Wilson Dixon.

Three former members of the legendary Bonzo Dog Doodah Band perfrom at Rye Community Centre on Wednesday 23 under the name Three Bonzos and a Piano.

The Bonzo's had a hit with I'm the Urban Spaceman.

Tony Mulholland, from the Festival committee, said: "Get down to the box office as soon as you can before remaining tickets get snapped up."

The box office is in Phillips & Stubbs in Cinque Ports Street, Rye from 10 am to 2 pm Monday to Saturday. The phone number is 01797 224442.
For the full listing, times and venues, visit the festival website at www.ryeartsfestival.co.uk.