The 12th West Belfast Festival, Feile an Phobail '99, has been launched by the Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, the area's MP. Advertised as "Europe's biggest and brightest community festival", the event will feature drama, comedy, talks and music from Ireland, Britain and around the world.
Highlights of the festival, which will last from July 31st to August 8th and is expected to attract over 350,000 people, are two outdoor concerts, "Into the West" featuring Status Quo and Midge Ure, and "Tir na nOg" featuring Westlife and O.T.T.
There will also be performances by Sinead O'Connor, Frances Black and Karan Casey. International acts will come from the US, Africa, Asia and Latin America.
The programme of political discussions and debates will include a tribute to the human rights lawyer, Ms Rosemary Nelson. A play, Forced Upon Us, deals with partition and its effects on the Catholic population in the North.
Speaking at the launch, Mr Adams particularly praised the creativity and involvement in the Feile of young people in the area.
The festival's director, Ms Caitriona Ruane, said they had started a "massive" campaign to attract visitors from the South to the event. "We always get loads of international visitors who are fascinated by west Belfast, but this year we want more people to come across the Border," she added.
The organisers have started a radio advertising campaign in Dublin, the Border counties and the western seaboard.
Shuttle buses and trains will be laid on for the big events and tickets will be available in a number of outlets in the Republic.
Tickets are already on sale. As the organisers are proud of the community-orientated nature of the Feile, entrance to even the big events will cost only £10, said Ms Ruane.
"We don't want the festival just to be for people from outside and lose our own community in the process," she added.
Among the event's sponsors are the Bank of Ireland, Bass Ireland, Belfast City Council, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, Save the Children, the Andersonstown News and An Phoblacht.