By COLIN CAMPBELL

BIGGEST and brightest, loudest and funkiest - that’s the promise from bosses of this year’s Merchant City Festival.

The annual event now attracts more than 150,000 to its mix of arts and entertainment, street food, indoor and outdoor performances, craft markets and music.

Kicking off on Saturday with the carnival, the event will have Glasgow’s cultural quarter bursting with life until Sunday, July 30.

Depute Lord Provost and chairman of the Merchant City Festival steering group Philip Braat, said: “Putting together such a high quality, varied and totally immersive arts programme alongside brilliant street food and amazing indoor and outdoor performances is a year round task.

“What you will see over the coming nine days of the Merchant City Festival is the result of months of rehearsals, planning and preparation.

“From the very start we will be bringing the carnival atmosphere to the streets and venues of the Merchant City for what will be an unmissable and unforgettable festival.”

The carnival will start this year’s festival at noon on Saturday, winding its way through the streets of Glasgow from Cathedral Square to George Square and onto the Merchant City.

Exploring the theme of Glasgow’s History, Heritage and Archaeology the carnival procession will feature groups from across Glasgow, as well as national and international performers.

The Encontro Street Band Festival is bringing bands from around the country to stage pop-up performances in the Merchant City ahead of a blistering evening showcase event at the Old Fruitmarket.

Wilson Street and Miller Street will host the Merchant City Festival’s celebration of street food.

This year the festival features music, dance, street arts, theatre, comedy, design, family entertainment, circus, Gaelic events, walking tours, films and the continental markets.

The Family Zone returns on weekdays along with the Unesco City of Music stage.

Noel Bridgeman, the producer of the festival procession, said: “I love the fact that we’re bringing costumes and artwork which are all made specifically for Glasgow.

“We’re not borrowing Caribbean or South American themes, we’re making everything specifically from people in Glasgow.’’

Lorenzo Mele, producer of the festival added: “The festival only works because all those companies pitch in and contribute to the vibrancy of the streets.

“That was one of the starting points of the festival when it was first set up in 2002, to really celebrate what’s in the Merchant City all year round and bringing in new audiences to that.’’

The full programme and ticket information is available at www.merchantcityfestival.com