Artists to hit the stage for Childers Festival

FROM puppets to traditional Indian dancing, a pub choir and the blues, it's all being showcased at next weekend's Childers Festival, a celebration of culture food and music .

Organisers are gearing up for another jam-packed year, with a great range of artists set to take the stages around the town's main street.

The fun kicks off at 2pm on Saturday, July 29, and the main festival day will be held on Sunday, July 30, from 9am.

Here are some of the acts you can check out:

MZAZA

Through timeless melodies, this six-piece band embraces diversity, the old and the new, the familiar and the foreign.

DAVID ORR BAND

Playing the Blues is a balancing act between virtuosity and feel, rawness and finesse and few seem to nail it like David Orr. It's the sound of late night whisky bars and musicians letting loose.

RED CROW

Red Crow is a band of contrary themes: moonlight keys and chiming guitars, tight soul-pulsing bass and vocals "like a breeze beneath your skin".

MATT BARKER

A multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter, Barker's years of experience as a solo performer with extensive gigging have made him an extraordinary live musician.

COLUMBIAN DANCE GROUP

Witness the passion of Colombian dance with this traditional dance group, showcasing dances including the fast-paced Joropo, the romantic Bambuco and Ode to Carnaval de Barranquilla.

PUB ROCK GROUP

Started by some fans who wanted to sing rock songs with a beverage in hand in the safety of a group, the social choir focusses on singing for love.

RUFUS JOHN PUPPETS

The shows feature a cast of adorable Aussie puppets including an emu, kangaroo, koala, platypus and parrot who go on a musical journey.

ANCIENT DANCE OF INDIA

Bharata Natyam is a traditional dance from India that is more 4000 years old, and involves foot rhythms and emotional expressions.

BUNDABERG PCYC BLAZERS

Traditional lion and dragon dancing by this group of accomplished performers.

RUBATUBA

An accordion-tuba duo that performs multicultural traditional music styles including Klesmr/Balkan, Gypsy, French classics, Italian, Celtic and Latin.

Click here to check out the full program.