A total of 62 different cultural events, many of them free, have been announced for this year’s Imagine Arts Festival, which takes place across Waterford city next month.

The programme for the 13th annual Imagine festival was officially launched last night by the editor of The Irish Times, Kevin O’Sullivan, at St Patrick’s Gateway Centre in Waterford. It features 10 days of Irish and international talent at a variety of venues, some of which will celebrate Waterford’s maritime heritage and tradition of involvement with the arts.

Festival director Ollie Breslin said the schedule for the festival, running from October 16th to 25th, will celebrate a wide variety of art forms including spoken word, music, dance, comedy, visual art and drama.

“We are delighted to host such a variety of artists at this year’s festival. It is a very enticing programme and we expect that tickets will be hot property. Waterford has always been a great supporter of the arts. Imagine Arts Festival is proud to play a role in continuing that tradition,” he said.

Highlights include music from folk singer Tim Eriksen; the Lost Brothers; Lee Ranaldo, who is best-known as a co-founder of Sonic Youth; one of the world’s most famous brass bands, the Black Dyke Band; Dylan Tighe; Mick Flannery; and a weekend of traditional music with the John Dywer Trad Weekend.

Author, playwright and Irish Times columnist Michael Harding will also feature along with author John MacKenna, Michael Smith, Colm Keegan and Mark Graham. History and heritage is on offer with “Booze, Blaas n’ Banter,” an event that celebrates the city’s quayside and maritime heritage, featuring journalists, authors and musicians at an early house.