The annual celebration includes film screenings, live music performances and a festival in the park

The hotly anticipated Kilburn Festival was officially launched this week at a party at the North London Tavern in Kilburn High Road.

Organisers spoke about their plans for the annual celebration, which spans several days and includes a series of music, arts, theatre and history events, and culminates in a day long festival in Kilburn Grange Park.

Chrissie Mitchell, one of the festival’s music promoters, said: “I am really excited about getting involved.

“We have got some amazing bands performing and they are all doing it for free.”

There had been fears that this year’s festival would have to be massively scaled down because of deep funding cuts across the public sector.

But the trustees announced in April that it would definitely go ahead after it was awarded �4,000 from Camden Council.

The Times is the official media partner of the festival which organisers say will be the biggest ever, but they have stressed that because of strained finances they are more dependent on volunteers to give up their time.

Janet Grauberg, chairwoman of the Kilburn Festival trustees, said: “We want to get more people who live and work in the area involved to make the festival happen.”

The Kilburn Festival runs from July 6 to 10. It will include the Kilburn History Festival, the Kilburn Film Festival, and a production of The Girl with Two Voices a trilogy of plays by Alan Williams.

For more information visit www.kilburnfestival.co.uk