The biennial Windsor Festival returns this year with culturally inventive, community driven performances and will have more than 50 organisations coming together.

The arts festival was founded by Robin Woods, Dean of Windsor in 1968, with the help of famous violinist Yehudi Menuhin and impresario Ian Hunter, known by many in the arts world as ‘Mr Festival’, as artistic directors.

Martin Denny, Windsor Festival director, says: “Windsor Festival aims to be a catalyst in developing the appreciation of cultural creativity, enabling hundreds of talented young people to join in and perform.

“Our hope is that the festival provides them with a focus and gives interaction with different areas of society and experiences to aid their development and furnish them with skills to succeed in whichever area they chose a career path in. We hope you enjoy our programme this year.”

Highlights of the nine-day programme include live music on the Community Stage as part of the Community Performance Programme that involves outreach to all young people particularly in the boroughs of Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead and Bracknell Forest. It gives young people the opportunity to develop programmes, produce performances, exhibitions and be culturally inventive.

There will be professional performances of classical music, opera productions, theatre with a special nod to Shakespeare to mark the 400th anniversary of his death, and the Berkshire young musician of the year competition final.

There will also be several events looking at the area’s history, such as walks through the town and along the river with tales of kings, queens, wartime, suffragettes and may more intriguing subjects.

With permission from Her Majesty The Queen the festival will be holding some events in the Waterloo Chamber, Windsor Castle, the Royal Chapel, Windsor Great Park and in St George’s Chapel. There will also be an event in the Vicars’ Hall with permission from the Dean and Canons of Windsor, and at other key locations in the area.

The Windsor Festival runs until Sunday, March 20. Details: 01753 743585, windsorfestival.com