The main stage for the three-day festival of free music began to go up in Royal Avenue Gardens earlier this .

The major event of more than 100 acts across dozens of town venues officially begins today at noon with singer songwriter Chaz Thorogood at Cafe Alf Resco.

The bandstand and stage is due to get its first outing at 2pm as youngsters from local primary schools perform a mixture of song and dance.

The Royal Avenue stage is one of the main outdoor venues during the popular music festival which is expected to bring thousands of visitors into the town over the three days.

Other venues scattered across the town range from pubs and cafes to local churches with music covering an entire spectrum of genre from classical and band music to jazz, folk and rock.

Among the line up of acts with be the festival's own choir, the Dart Festival Chorus which will be performing this year with guest conductor Jonathan Watts – musical director of the Dartington Community Choir and director of Devon Baroque.

The choir's guest accompanist is former director of the music at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, Ian Curor.

The chorus' festival concert Made in Britain will be going ahead at St Saviour's Church, Dartmouth, at 3pm as a celebration of British choral music and includes Parry's Jerusalem, Handel's Hallelujah Chorus and works by, among others, Tallis, Purcell and Elgar.

l The Dart Music Festival is now on a CD of musical memories.

For the first time the festival team has produced a sampler CD of 23 tracks of some of the acts performing at this year's festival.

The CDs cost £5 and a festival spokesman said: 'Supplies are limited, so make sure you don't miss out on your copy.'

They will be on sale from the merchandise tent next to the Royal Avenue Gardens bandstand throughout the festival.

The musicians have all donated their tracks. Proceeds will go towards the cost of holding the festival.