THE Manx Folk Dance Society's international folk dance festival starts this Friday (August 12).

The event, which will celebrate 60 years of the society, runs until Tuesday (August 16).

As part of the festival programme 13 folk dance groups - including visitors from Germany and Sweden - will perform at the Royall Hall in the Villa Marina on Saturday night.

Four groups from the Island will also take part in addition to groups from England and Wales. 

The opening of the festival will take place by former Chief Minister Sir Miles Walker in Castletown Square at 7.30pm onwards on Friday when there will be dances from a number of the groups.

If there is bad weather it will take place at King William's College.

On Sunday afternoon there will be dance displays at Castle Rushen, Castletown from 1.20pm to 2.30pm and 3.30pm to 4.40pm (if it is raining they will take place at the Castletown Civic Centre).

There will also be dance displays at Quarterdeck, Port Erin, from 1.30pm to 2.50pm and 3.10pm to 4.30pm. (If it rains they will take place at Port Erin Methodist Hall, near Darnill's Garage).

On Monday there will be dance displays at the House of Manannan, Peel, from 10.45am to 12.30pm and 2.30pm to 4.15pm (if the weather is wet they will take place in the Corrin Hall).

There will also be dance displays at Mooragh Park, Ramsey, from 11am to 12.40pm and from 2.20pm to 4pm (if it is wet they will take place in the Waterlook Road Church Hall).

On Tuesday there will be dance workshops at King William's College in the morning and afternoon and then a farewell evening with the Manx Folk Dance Society.

Tickets for the Saturday night event at the Villa are £10 for adults and £7.50 for children and are available from the Welcome Centre at the Sea Terminal, Douglas, by ringing the ticket hotline on 600555 and online at www.villagaiety.com

Also see Manxfolkdance.org.uk for more information.