Get ready - Kettfest is coming!

Bands are being booked, stages are being set, entertainers are practising and traders are stocking up for the return of Kettfest.

Taking over the town for the day, the celebration of Kettering is back and it's even bigger and better than last year.

The festival will see five stages hosted across the town on Saturday 22 June, with local musicians, dancers, poets and artists showcasing the best local talent around.

The main stage will run from 11am-10pm in the Market Place, and is being run by Kettering Arts Centre. Head there to hear live music from some amazing local bands through the day and a Bill Burton disco finale, with cocktail bars and street food available round the site.

At the other end of High Street, the Clock Tower stage, curated by Jason Redhead from ISM Academy will be bringing the best up and coming artists out to the fore.

There will be stalls showcasing local hot food and produce around Gold Street.

New for this year is Pets at Kettfest, sited outside Jamie's Pet Food Shop on Lower Street. Bring your furry friends for a fun Instagram photo and have your free pet and owner portrait sketched by artist Katy Dynes.

Outside Peacocks on Meadow Road, the Community Stage will show off top-class dancers and performers while Kettering Library is hosting the spoken word stage with poet Kezzabelle leading workshops and performances at Cornerstone.

The Yards is working with Mark Robinson, of The Music Barn Festival, who is providing some incredible DJs throughout the day and 'have-a-go' DJ slots. There will be live graffiti creation by Jimski and graffiti workshops to take part in. A go-to for those that need a quiet space is The Lawyer & The Nurse. There you will find a SEN-designed sensory room plus family-friendly activities such as facepainting and crafts.

Talented members of the Kettering and District Art Society will be sited around the town centre, sketching and painting the day's scenes, and youngsters can pick up a trail sheet and win a prize if they find all the artists – and can say what each one is creating.

Brightwayz will be at the festival encouraging people to choose alternatives to cars to travel to the event, with bicycles and more to try out. People can test their skate and scooter skills with special sessions from Illicit Skate School.

The Corby Model Railway Society's ride-on railway attraction will be welcomed back – this year on Lower Street – and around the site will be face painters and roaming entertainers.

Head to Parish Rooms, just off the Market Place, for Picture The Difference's Fun Zone with interactive artwork and curated experiences to explore the theme of The Ripple Effect. This will also be the starting point for the Cosplay Parade.

All along High Street and the bottom of Gold Street, will be artisan Market Stalls with a range of local craft and items to buy, with street food on sale in the Market Place and Gold street.

Local shops and businesses can get involved with our themed shop window display competition where the best-dressed window could win £200 to spend on an evening out for staff.

The festival is being organised by Kettering Cultural Consortium (KCC) members, and funded with a £7,000 grant from Kettering Town Council.

Zoe Martin, from Kettering Cultural Consortium and Picture the Difference, said: "Last year's Kettfest was incredible, we were so impressed with the way so many people gave their time voluntarily and worked so hard to put on so many different acts.

"Kettfest is really about being able to give a platform to our community and get everyone together on one day to celebrate what is best about our town. We had so many people come along last year, it was wonderful to see everyone pull together in celebration."

Cllr Craig Skinner, Chair of Kettering Town Council's Markets and Events Committee, said: "The Town Council is really pleased to be able to support KettFest again this year with so much talent in the town. We hope lots of people come into the town centre for the day and support our local community."