Below are some of the star names at this year’s Lichfield Festival. Booking opens on Tuesday 7 May and the Lichfield Festival runs from Thursday 4 to Sunday 14 July 2013.

An electronic copy of the Festival Guide is already available here

Here are a few of the highlights: 

Alan Davies

Star of Jonathan Creek and QI, Alan brings his first stand-up show in a decade to the Lichfield Garrick on Friday 5 July. After award-winning shows at the Edinburgh Festival, turns at other Festivals around the world, and a massive sell-out tour of Britain that was filmed by the BBC for a documentary, the hugely successful live DVD, Urban Trauma, was released and still sells today. This is sure to be a hot ticket.

Laura Mvula

Laura is already well on the way to becoming one of the voices of 2013. She was nominated for the 2013 BRITs Critics‘ Choice award and is a BBC Sound of 2013 artist. Her debut album Sing to the Moon hit the top ten in its first week, and among others she has made recent appearances on The Graham Norton Show and Later… With Jools Holland. You can still see the latter if you click here.

Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain

Returning to Lichfield for the first time in 4 years as part of their tour of Planet Earth, the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain bring their joyous brand of musicianship to bear upon some of the greatest songs in the canon, in what they describe as an all-singing, all-plucking obituary of Rock and Roll and melodious light entertainment. See them in Lichfield Cathedral on Friday 12 July.

Spiers and Boden

Before there was the Folk Big Band phenomenon that is Bellowhead, there was the Folk Duo Phenomenon that was and remains Bellowhead founder members  Spiers and Boden. The two Johns first performed together in 1999 and have gone on to release several acclaimed albums. Together they make an incredible sound which belies their small number, and their Lichfield Garrick concert on Tuesday 9 July is one not to be missed.

Roberto Fonseca

A phenomenal pianist, Roberto Fonseca weds the improvising brilliance of Herbie Hancock and McCoy Turner to the sounds and traditions of Afro-Cuban music, forming an irresistible contemporary sound.  He and his band will be at the Lichfield Garrick on Thursday 11 July.

The Philharmonia Orchestra

Closing the Festival in style in Lichfield Cathedral on Saturday 13 July, the Philharmonia return to Lichfield for the first time since 2008 under the baton of Christopher Warren Green. Sibelius’ Finlandia and Elgar’s Cello Concerto in E Minor, Op. 85 form the first half to an evening that concludes with the majestic sweep of Beethoven’s 9^th Symphony. The orchestra will be joined by cellist Philip Higham, soprano Jennifer Rust, mezzo Heather Lowe, tenor Robert Gardiner, bass Thomas Hopkinson, and the Lichfield Festival Chorus.

And that’s before they mention…

Zoe Rahman, Chris Addison, Ruthie Henshall, Alison Weir, Henry Hitchings, the Swingle Singers, Iestyn Davies and Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra, among a host of other international stars!