FOLLOWING the success of the inaugural Curious Arts Festival last year this “charmingly reckless”

event will return to the stunning grounds of Pylewell Park this summer.

And now the first performers in a stellar line-up of top British contemporary writers, musicians, artists and comedians have been announced.

Running from July 17-19, against the backdrop of one of the most beautiful, privately owned, houses in England, the festival offers a rare opportunity to see John Illsley, founding member and bass player of Dire Straits perform with his band on the Saturday evening.

John will be performing songs from his latest album Testing the Water and some classic Dire Straits hits, including Sultans of Swing, Money for Nothing and Brothers in Arms.

For bookworms, a series of exciting tented events are scheduled with some of Britain’s most remarkable contemporary writers, including David Nicholls, author of One Day and Us; Jojo Moyes, author of Me Before You and The One Plus One, and best-selling author of Before I Go to Sleep S.J. Watson talks about his new novel Second Life.

Curious Arts kicks off with a cricket match between the Authors XI and the local Pylewell Park team.

There follows a fully interactive programme of events for all ages including an Alice in Wonderland tea party, House of Fairytales cura ted b y a r tists G avin Tur k and Deborah Curtis, night bat walks, tea leaf reading, fortune telling, garden walks, life drawing and breathing lessons.

The festival also offers garden lovers a rare opportunity to explore the beautiful hidden gardens of Pylewell Park, which, spanning 100 acres, include traditionally laid out parkland with unrivalled panoramic views over the Solent along the south coast and a 15-acre lake.

These surround the grandeur of the house, which dates back over 350 years with formal gardens established in the early 18th century and later pleasure grounds developed by an ancestor of the current family and who introduced Asian and Australasian plant collections, a lily pond and bridges brought back from Japan.

There will also be a pop-up fine dining restaurant and a wide variety of gourmet food to go featuring local Hampshire and Sussex produce, along with a beautifully dressed cocktail bar from Fever-Tree and a gorgeous tea room.

Set to “illuminate and stimulate inquisitive minds” and with no ‘backstage’ organisers believe no other festival brings together such an erudite mix of artists and makes them so accessible.

Weekend adult tickets priced at £120 can be bought at curiousartsfestival.com.

Super Early Bird tickets at £85 are available until January 31.

Family weekend tickets for two adults and up to four children are £300 (or £199 Super Early Bird). Children under 13 go free and dogs are welcome.