THIS weekend sees the return of Arundel's own arts festival, celebrating the best the town’s artists, musicians and performers have to offer in a packed eclectic programme. Duncan Hall picks out the highlights of the grassroots event.

An Audience With Michael Morpurgo
Arundel Castle Cricket Ground, Arundel, Saturday, August 16, 5.30pm, £10/£5

FORMER children’s laureate and author of international smash hit War Horse Michael Morpurgo is the headline special guest at this year's Arundel Festival.

The former teacher will be talking about his literary life and reading from both his new novel Listen To The Moon and Only Remembered, a collection of writing about the First World War.

Open Air Shakespeare
Collector Earl’s Garden, Arundel Castle, Thursday, August 21, to Saturday, August 23, grounds open 5.30pm, performance from 7.30pm, £26

ARUNDEL Castle’s grounds are playing host to both Shakespeare's bleakest tragedy and most knockabout farce this summer.

Two sets of identical twins cause havoc in GB Theatre Company’s take on The Comedy Of Errors on Thursday, August 21, and Saturday, August 23, while a Scottish thane embarks on a bloody path to the crown after having his fortune told by three witches in Macbeth on Friday, August 22.

The Hanover Band
St Nicholas Church, Arundel, Saturday, August 16 and Sunday, August 17, 4pm, Saturday, August 23, and Monday, August 25, 7.30pm, from £15 St Leonard’s Church, South Stoke, near Arundel Sunday, August 24, 1pm, £30

NOW calling Arundel their home, period orchestra The Hanover Band is performing five different shows during the Arundel Festival, starting with two nights of Bach this weekend.

Iranian harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani will be playing 24 preludes and fugues from the first book of Bach's Well Tempered Clavier over two nights.

The Hanover Band's founding director, violinist Monica Huggett, will be leading the group through Mozart's Gran Partita and Haffner Serenades on Saturday, August 23, and a bank holiday Monday programme of Mozart and Haydn.

But the biggest event will be an afternoon of Mozart and Schubert at St Leonard's Church, featuring guest soloists Joel Raymond and Nathaniel Harrison.

Jubilee Gardens Friday 
August 15, to Monday, August 25, from noon, free

NOW in its seventh year, the Jubilee Gardens stage features live music, DJ sets, a vintage market, workshops and even a quiz, culminating in festival fireworks from 9pm on Bank Holiday Monday.

Gallery Trail
Across Arundel, noon to 5.30pm weekends and Bank Holiday Monday, 2pm to 5.30pm weekdays, free, www.arundelgallerytrail.co.uk

MORE than 100 artists and makers will be showing their latest works in 64 venues across Arundel.

Among the highlights this year are a retrospective of trail founder Susie Jenkins's photography following her sudden death last autumn, and a remembrance sculpture by Mark and Rebecca Ford to mark the centenary of the Great War on the Causeway Roundabout.

Look out for the trail map around the town, and the flags marking out each venue, made from Second World War parachute fabric.

Drip Action Theatre Trail
Across Arundel, Saturday, August 16, to Saturday, August 23, from 11am, season tickets from £25, www.dripaction.co.uk

FOR the 14th year Drip Action is presenting eight new plays performed over eight days in eight different venues.

Among the highlights are Dan Bancroft's Let, based around a game of squash, an awkward blind date in John Dobie's Coffee House, Greenwich Village, and Simon Brett's annual contribution Twist.

This year's evening play follows a First World War theme with Nick Dear's The Dark Earth And The Light Sky telling the story of poet Edward Thomas who was killed on the Western Front in 1917.

Look out for performances during the festival from the Arundel Players, performing Peter Nichols's Privates On Parade at the Priory Playhouse, and promenade experiences from The Arundel Jailhouse, ranging from comedy to terror.

Words And Music In Private Houses
Various venues, Tuesday, August 19, to Monday, August 25, various times, from £10 including wine, 01903 882063

THE words and music programme's subjects range from the First World War, to a recital of Chopin, taking in artist Eric Gill and a six-house music trail on Wednesday, August 20, for £20 a ticket.

Bathtub Race
Mill Road Overflow Car Park, Mill Road, Arundel, Monday, August 25, 9am, race from noon, free

THE culmination of this year's Arundel Festival sees 30 teams of intrepid bathtub sailors take to the Arun in their homemade creations, in aid of Crossroads Care. For tickets visit www.arundelfestival.co.uk.