The Festival celebrating the Olympic and Paralympic Games, which will take place from June 21 to September 9 across the UK, features some of the leading artists from around the world with over 25,000 individuals from all 204 competing Olympic nations set to be involved.

Everyone will be able to join in the celebration with over 10 million free tickets and opportunities to take part in 12,000 events and performances at 900 venues all over the UK, including 130 world premieres and 85 UK premieres.

One of the major celebrations will take place from June 23-24 when 100,000 music fans are expected for BBC Radio 1's Hackney Weekend starring Jay-Z, Rihanna, Florence + The Machine, will.i.am, Jessie J, David Guetta and Tinie Tempah.

Another will be on June 21 in Derry, Northern Ireland, when the Peace One Day's Global Truce Countdown concert at Ebrington Square will see Britain's Jude Law in attendance.

But young fans will be most excited to see Oscar-winners Wallace & Gromit feature at the BBC Proms 2012 on July 27, the night of the Olympic Opening Ceremony.

The famous duo will make their Proms debut with Wallace's Proms commission 'My Concerto in Ee, Lad'.

The Festival programme was launched by under fire Jeremy Hunt, the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport who is currently facing pressure to leave his role after revelations surfaced this week that he was colluding with Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation to ensure they were successful in their bid for BskyB.

"The 2012 Games provides a unique chance to showcase Britain to the World," said Hunt.

"The London 2012 Festival highlights the enormous wealth of world class culture that this country has to offer, providing opportunities for everyone, everywhere to get involved and be inspired.

"The publication today of the full programme is a proud moment for all involved and I must pay tribute to the vision and creativity of the London 2012 culture team and our wonderful partners across the UK and internationally."

Shortly after the speech, Hunt left without fielding any questions from the media.

The Festival programme also shows that Stephen Fry, Tim Minchin (pictured below), Scott Mills and a host of BBC Comedy stars will celebrate the UK's comic talent with appearances all over the country from Edinburgh's celebrated Fringe venue The Pleasance to The Eden Project in Cornwall, Hackney Empire, the BFI and London's West End.


"The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be an astonishing event, and it's only right that we use the opportunity to showcase our world leading arts and culture when the eyes of the world are on us," said Fry, the popular actor, comedian and television presenter.

"The London 2012 Festival will give everyone the chance to have an Olympic experience, and leading the way will be the Playing the Games programme taking place at the Criterion Theatre, London's most beautiful West End theatre."

In addition to numerous other events, there will also be a celebration of London's contribution to fashion with a series of collaborations between top designers and artists, including Paul Smith, while Jeremy Deller's full size 'bouncy castle' version of Stonehenge will tour the nation, giving families a unique experience of this historic landmark.

"The London 2012 Festival will be the largest cultural celebration in our lifetime," said Ruth Mackenzie, the director of the Cultural Olympiad and the London 2012 Festival.

"With new work from the best musicians, comics, artists, film makers and more, there will be arts events taking place in unusual places all over the UK that will showcase the best in international culture when the eyes of the world are on us this summer.

"I would like to thank our Premier Partners BP and BT and Principal Funders Arts Council England, Legacy Trust UK and the Olympic Lottery Distributor for making it possible."

The full London 2012 Festival brochure will be distributed around the UK and is available to download from the London 2012 Festival website at www.london2012.com/festival.

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