The National Forest is becoming an increasingly popular venue and back-drop for music concerts with a packed programme of open-air events planned for the Forest this summer.

The parkland landscape of Calke Abbey provides a beautiful setting for two fantastic open air concerts with spectacular firework finales. Calke Party Night on 11 August has an impressive line-up of stars with The Drifters, The Rubettes, Union Gap and 80�s legend, Limahl from Kajagoogoo. Visitors to the Calke Classical Spectacular, taking place the following night on 12 August, are encouraged to bring a picnic and enjoy the great classical favourites performed by the English National Orchestra. For more information on both events telephone 01909 511061, email calkeabbey@nationaltrust.org.uk or visit the website nationaltrust.org.uk

A series of concerts will take place throughout 2006 in Conkers� covered amphitheatre, set beside the lake at Conkers Waterside and surrounded by new woodland. These include The Pokey Hole 2nd Summer Festival (14-15 July) featuring The Commitments, Never The Bride, The Climax Blues Band, Trevor Burton and many other brilliant bands. The amphitheatre will see Rockaholic playing on 22 July, followed by Talon - The Best of The Eagles (28th July), Glen Miller (29 July), U2UK (19 August), Proms Night (26 August) and The Blockheads (8th September). For more details on the individual events at Conkers visit the website www.visitconkers.co.ukwww.visitconkers.co.uk

The National Forest Folk Festival is putting on an impressive line-up of performers at Conkers from 7-9 July including top band, The Levellers � back for a second year by popular demand, the highly acclaimed Cara Dillon and the exciting Shooglenifty! Tickets for the festival are available through Ashby de la Zouch Tourist Information Centre (TIC) on 01530 411 767 and Burton upon Trent TIC on 01283 508 111 or through the websites www.affc.demon.co.uk and www.seetickets.com

Catton Park hosts its fifth Summer Concert on Saturday 1 July with headline acts Roy Wood Rock & Roll Band, Herman's Hermits and Animals & Friends. Catch more summer music when The Summer Weekend of Country Music swings into Belvedere Park, Burton upon Trent on 29 June - 2 July and at Heather Music Festival which takes from 28-30 July. Catton Hall hosts Bloodstock open air music concert on 14-15 July.

Penny Wilkinson, Tourism and Promotions Officer for the National Forest Company said �The new woodland and ancient Forest that makes up The National Forest creates a fantastic back-drop for music and theatrical events, making it an increasingly popular venue for organisers to stage concerts here.

�We want to encourage more events to take place within The National Forest as this obviously encourages visitors to the area and provides live entertainment for visitors and residents alike. To find out what events are taking place across The National Forest the website www.nationalforest.org provides a full listing or pick up a copy of either our newsletter, Forest Scene or visitor guides which have the events, dates and contact numbers to get tickets.�

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Media contacts: For further information contact either Penny Wilkinson or Carol Rowntree Jones at the National Forest Company on 01283 551211. For background information please visit www.nationalforest.org Digital images available, contact: media@nationalforest.org

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. The National Forest area covers 200 square miles of the counties of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire. Its objective is to increase woodland cover within its boundaries from an initial six per cent to about a third. No multi-purpose forest on this scale has been created in the UK for one thousand years. To date the proportion of woodland cover for the Forest has already more than doubled to 16 per cent and over 6 million trees have been planted.

2. Year by year, The National Forest has been steadily turning what was once one of the least wooded areas of England into a multi-purpose, sustainable forest. The National Forest provides environmental and economic benefits, including landscape enhancement, creation of new wildlife habitats and major new access and leisure opportunities. It is an excellent example of sustainable development � with environmental improvement providing a stimulus to economic regeneration.

3. To achieve its objectives, the National Forest Company works in partnership with landowners, local authorities and private business and has strong support from Government, politicians and the public. The Company receives grant in aid from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

4. Conkers events, 01283 216 633 Catton Park Concert, 0115 938 2626 Bloodstock open air concert, Catton Hall, 0115 985 5251 Calke Abbey � summer classics and open air concert, 01909 511 061 Heather Music Festival, 01530 260 544 Belvedere Park weekend of country music, 01283 540 220 National Forest Folk Festival, 07881 558 158