12 - 21 May 2005.

Taking place in two of north London's most picturesque villages, the Hampstead and Highgate festival is an annual bash of classical music, the arts and community fun. French composers make their mark this year with a generous splashing of Debussy, Durufl and Ravel on the concert programme though there are also works by Beethoven, Shostakovich and David Matthews to look forward to. The musicians taking part include cellist Ralph Kirshbaum, pianist Carole Presland, and a rare performance by jazzman Julian Joseph, as well as the Highgate Choral Society. Concerts take place at All Hallows Church, Hampstead Town Hall and St John-at-Hampstead Church. For the literature buffs, the afternoons hold a series of interviews in store with writers Diran Adebayo, Beryl Bainbridge, Charles Chadwick, Gayle Hunnicutt, Ruth Padel and Miranda Seymour all answering Piers Plowrights questions. Other activities include theatre performances, a walk through Hampstead village, bat-watching on Hampstead Heath, and star-gazing at Hampstead Observatory.