TROWBRIDGE Arts Festival, which runs until November 1, is heralded by a baronial event on Friday, one of many emphasising its status as a Baron Town in this 700-year celebration of the Magna Carta.

As part of an art project co-ordinated by local artist Paul Workman, children from 10 local primary schools will be bringing their decorated baron figures, 25 barons in all, to St James' Church this afternoon at 1.45pm for a Gathering of Barons celebration, before they go out to various places in the community.

On Saturday, Trowbridge Town Hall will be celebrating the breadth of local talent as part of the official opening day of the Festival.

The Arts Festival and Trowbridge Town Team have worked together to bring the teenage market to Trowbridge. There will be over 14 young sellers and more than 10 young performers on a stage outside the Town Hall. There will also be an exhibition of artwork from the Studio Artists based at Trowbridge Town Hall, many of whom will be in their studios and happy to talk to visitors about their work.

‘We are thrilled by the response from young people wanting to take part in the Teenage Market this year, a real demonstration of the talent and entrepreneurism amongst our young people. There will be opportunities to buy unique, locally made products whilst being entertained by a real diverse mix of talented performers," said Tracy Sullivan, chairman of Trowbridge Arts Festival.

"We also thought it would be nice to include our more established artists working at the Town Hall so that all the makers and artists, whatever stage they’re at in their careers, can learn from each other."

The exhibition will be open from 10am with the market opening at 11am, and there will also be a café running in the Town Hall to keep everyone going.

Other Festival events on Saturday include Raggle Taggle busking in The Shires and Castle Place shopping centres, have-a-go bell ringing at St James' Church for the over-10s from 2-4pm and Magna Carta Walks, discovering the history of Baron Henry de Bohun, leaving from the town hall between 10-11am.

Last year The Friends of Trowbridge Town Hall staged Allunder1Roof at the Town Hall; probably the biggest arts event of its kind ever held in Trowbridge, attracting over 2,000 people, it is back for 2015.

Mike Snelling, organiser of both this and the art exhibition, both put on by the Friends of The Town Hall for TAF, said: "For this year to be bigger or better was impossible so we decided to be different.

"This year’s art exhibition will open on Tuesday evening at 7.30pm and run until October 31, and will focus on the subject of the Town Hall, its place at the heart of the community; past, present and future it will feature artwork of all types and will celebrate the growing role of the Town Hall as the creative heart of the town. It will run from 10am-4pm each day except Sundays.

"Running alongside this exhibition will be Allunder1StarrySky; a chance to see the Town Hall in a different light. It will feature the Town Hall at night and run from Thursday, October 22-Tuesday, October 27, from 7.30-9.30pm (except Sunday, October 25).

"The entrance hall will be lit by its glorious stained glass windows, newly restored for the occasion and flood lit from behind.

"It will feature DaDa Project an amazing sound and light experience. The music will be a blend of down-tempo beats, ambient noise, old time radio recordings and real time sound created by effects and loop machines plus a UV light show using recycled materials.

"Bones and other Beautiful Things, Forgotten is an extraordinary tonal score, poem, lighting and a visual experiment in the old boiler room in the Town Hall it is a personal reaction to a place where history had once been made and then left to its own devices.

"The UV maze, quite unlike anything you have seen before, will intrigue and puzzle. The Mad Hatters Tea Party will amuse and the gloomy gallery will make you examine works of art more carefully.

"A glowing expression of pumpkins and a moonlit knitted village and teddy bears picnic will add to your fun and you will sense the past in the shadowy cellars and be able to look out and view the magic garden. There will be refreshments and a bar so that you can linger and enjoy.

Most amazingly of all admission is free."

Alongside community events and art in the Town Hall the Festival has a whole range of professional theatre productions, including several at The Arc on College Road.

Coming there on Friday, October 23 are four stand-up comedians, including Phil Kay who featured on Russell Howard’s Good News. The venue has free parking, a bar and the evening is guaranteed to get you laughing.

Before that Autojeu presents comedy of a different sort, with their version of Beowulf on Wednesday: devised and performed by Sam Gibbs and Peter Buffery, the show follows a Scop, an ancient storyteller, who has been telling his tale for many years, for kings and queens, lords and ladies and today brings it to whoever will listen.

But along with his tale he is joined by a musician, who has grown tired of the Scop’s ego and through the story of Beowulf they bicker and gripe at each other through arguments which span numerous character interacting with each other, a musical score which seemingly controls every aspect of the performer and numerous ridiculous physical sequences, breaking down every preconception and tired old idea everyone has of the saga of Beowulf.

The show played to great reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe and tickets are £8. 

Tickets for all festival events, and full details, are available from www.trowbridgeartsfestival.co.uk

The festival closes on November 1 at the town's Civic Centre, where '80s pop icon Toyah plays an acoustic, up close and personal set which wanders trough her musical life.