A FIRST round of exciting events have been revealed for this year’s Brighton Digital Festival.

Popular conferences dConstruct, Reasons to be Creative, Improving Reality and Brighton SEO have all been confirmed.

New innovation conference Dots will focus on celebrating ideas by connecting things in new way and has been created by Brighton digital strategy agency Brilliant Noise.

Free outdoor interactive music and laser event Laser Light Synths will enable members of the public to become musicians, using touch-activated instruments filled with hundreds of high power LED lights which will run up the columns of the Unitarian Church.

One of the most hotly-anticipated speakers is Cory Doctorow, a science fiction author, activist, journalist, blogger and co-editor of Boing Boing.

Lighthouse will exhibit Critical Engineering, a free collection of sculptures and installations exploring the problems created by the increasingly technologised environment.

The Measures Taken will also explore our interdependent relationship with technology while the creative and inventive Brighton Mini Maker Faire will return for a fourth year.

Aspiring architects and planners can try BlockBuilders, which enables under-16s to build their own vision of the London Road redevelopment using creative gaming platform Minecraft.

The festival has expanded its education programme to get younger learners switched-on to digital themes and compliment the new ICT and computer sciences GCSEs.

Manager Jesse Black Mooney said: “We are thrilled so many creative and inspiring events have been submitted to this year's festival programme, with more coming in every day.

“Being able to offer awards through our various commissions this year has allowed us to expand our programme, but it is the local community's enthusiasm and involvement in shaping the festival that makes Brighton Digital Festival so fantastic.

“This is a celebration of Brighton and Hove as well as a celebration of digital culture."

Brighton Digital Festival is the UK’s largest celebration of digital culture and has more than 100 events already confirmed.

It runs from September 1 to 28, bringing together arts and digital communities through exhibitions, performances, conferences, meet-ups, workshops and outdoor events.

Arts Council England, Brighton and Hove City Council, American Express and Pure360 support the festival.

It is guided and supported by a consortium including Clearleft, Brandwatch, Wired Sussex, Lighthouse, Fabrica, South East Dance, Fugu PR, Phoenix Brighton, Brilliant Noise, Brighton Museum and Art Gallery and Brighton Dome.

For the latest information and details on how to submit an event of your own see www.brightondigitalfestival.co.uk/events.