The festival started on Saturday with a spectacular parade from Low Grange to the town centre.



Organisers say this year's week-long programme of performances promises to be as impressive as ever with nine groups participating from countries including Colombia, Malaysia, Romania and Martinique, in the Caribbean.

Festival Director Joe Maloney, who has been involved with the event for 40 years, said: "It's very much enjoyed by all and has been very popular in the past.

"I think the festival is extremely important to Billingham and extremely important to the region.

"It takes a fair bit of organising. We have started on next year's already."

He said that some of the dancers are semi-professional while others are amateur and all wear their traditional national costumes.

Mr Maloney said the dancers have travelled especially to perform at the event and they all pay their way to attend.

The performances take place at Billingham Festival Arena and Billingham Forum Theatre and will end with a closing concert on Saturday night.

Bede College, in Hale Road, Billingham, has been transformed into accommodation for the dancers who range from six-years-old to around 80.

Since it began the festival has hosted over 15,000 performers from more then 90 countries and each year it hosts eight to 10 groups with more than 400 artists from abroad.