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The 2008 SummerTyne festival, which runs from 18 to 27 July, kicks off with a must-see event.

Australian company Bambuco has designed and is building a 25-metre suspension bridge from bamboo which will span the river between Newcastle and Gateshead.

It is believed the installation of the bridge is the biggest of its kind attempted in the world. During the installation, spectators can enjoy music from bamboo-inspired instruments and see exhibitions at the Baltic.

Sinead O'Connor will be appearing

The celebration to mark its completion will be on Friday 18 July.

Also on July 18 there will be an exhibition involving the community. The Voices of the River's Edge Exhibition is a project including textiles, film, audio and drama.

Gateshead residents worked with professionals for two years to complete the exhibition.

On July 19 there will be a chance to explore and enjoy the music of steel pan. There will be an open air day of Caribbean music performed by local players in Performance Square.

The day offers young musicians a chance to take part in a competition to win the chance of playing at the Steel Pandango Gala Concert in the evening. Upcoming steel pan players will show off their talents in front of a panel of judges.

Acoustic performances

Well known singer Sin茅ad O'Connor will be performing an acoustic performance at The Sage on 22 July.

Other acoustic performances come from 成人论坛 World Music Award 2008 winner Martha Wainwright.

Martha Wainwright performs acoustically

She will be performing with special guest Dawn Landes on 27 July as part of the Americana weekend, which celebrates American-influenced music.

The weekend will host various acts playing live on an outdoor stage outside The Sage.

Other acts are听the Allen Toussaint Quartet, the Neville Brothers and Brandi Carlile. Family band Cherryholmes will end the weekend with a line-up of bluegrass music.

Culture

The festival is a celebration of culture and there are plenty of cultural displays to choose from. Delve into anything from a Latin dance party, Brazilian art forms and a musical display of reggae legends.

For those who like to join in, an array of workshops will be available for all ages. There's everything from under 5s music making, singing in a family choir and steel pan lessons.

Visitors can also enjoy a tour of The Sage every lunchtime with theatrical music performances throughout the tour.

The SummerTyne festival is managed by culture10 who hope to encourage cultural life and build up the region's profile both locally and internationally.

For more information and for the full line-up on the SummerTyne Festival, visit the Sage website: