TOP comedy and musical talent will be heading to Stockton next July as the town plays host to a new festival.

Stockton Stages will take over a number of venues across Stockton town centre from Thursday, July 20 to Saturday, July 22, 2017, as the new music and comedy festival takes root.

The event will feature headline music and comedy events at Stockton's Arc, Storytellers/Ku Bar and the Georgian Theatre, with free town centre activity including a mass karaoke event on the Friday evening.

Music and comedy stages will be set up in the town centre, as well as a specialist market on the Saturday.

Wildcats of Kilkenny frontman Mike McGrother will be premiering his pub opera "Of Rogues and Honest Men" in Arc on the Saturday evening.

Annabel Turpin, Chief Executive of ARC Stockton, said: “It’s fantastic to be working with colleagues at Tees Music Alliance, Storytellers/KU and Mike McGrother to bring this festival together.

“We’re all in the business of putting on great performances and we thought it’d be a great idea to work together to bring top quality music and comedy to Stockton for a brilliant weekend of entertainment next summer.”

Jimmy Beck, owner of Storytellers and KU, said: “It’s something we’re all really looking forward to and I think everyone should be setting aside 20 to 22 July in their diary for next year – this will not be an event to be missed.”

Councillor Norma Wilburn, Stockton Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Arts, Leisure and Culture, said: “The announcement of Stockton Stages marks another exciting addition to our already bustling programme of first class events taking place right around the year and across the borough.

“We’re lucky to have such great organisations and artists in the borough working together on events like these. We’re happy to support them in this new venture.

“Our reputation is well known for staging exceptional events, such as the renowned Stockton International Riverside Festival and this year’s British Cycling National Road Championships, and Stockton Stages will only serve to further enhance our standing.”

A full line-up of acts and ticket information will be announced in due course.

The popular outdoor Stockton Weekender festival, which evolved from a fringe music festival, finished in 2014 after organisers Tees Music Alliance made it a ticketed event. Its last festival saw the Happy Mondays and Public Enemy headlining in front of 50,000 people.