Slane meets Glydenborne this year at the Woodstock Weekend, which kicks off the Kilkenny Arts Festival on August 7-8.

This al fresco extravanganza – part classical, part popular music - takes place in the Woodstock Gardens, situated in the picturesque village of Inistioge.

August 7 features a performance by the Northern Chamber Orchestra performing a concert of popular classical music. And if that's not enough of a draw card for the classical aficionados, the evening will culminate in a spectacular fireworks display set to Handel’s Music for Royal Fireworks.

The following day sees a mixed bag of some of the country's finest entertainers steer proceedings, with headliners Mundy, Jerry Fish and the Mudbug Club and the Hothouse Flowers. Also performing on the day will be Declan O’Rourke, Mark Geary and Rodrigo y Gabriella.

Tickets for the event go one sale May 28 and are available from the usual outlets nationwide. Admission for the Sunday gig is priced most reasonably at €25, while tickets for the Saturday event are priced from €7.50-20.

For more information, check out the festival web site at www.kilkennyarts.ie