ONE of West London's biggest and best events is well underway as part of Ealing borough's Summer Festival.

The festival, organised by Ealing Council, will see four weeks crammed with a host of shows, events and fun for all ages.

The summer event has gone from strength to strength from when it first started 18 years ago to become a month-long celebration of music and art.

This year's festival will include a comedy festival, a blues and grooves party and an international food fair sponsored by local restaurateurs Montys.

The Fullers Jazz Fringe kicked off the festivities on Sunday with a host of intimate Jazz gigs in Fullers pubs in and around Ealing. All of the gigs are free but charity collections will be made throughout the festival.

Comic duo Trev and Simon will headline the five-day Ealing Comedy Festival in Walpole Park, in conjunction with Ha Bloody Ha Comedy Club, from Saturday July 27 and will be joined by other stand up acts such as Gina Yashere, Ed Byrne and Ricky Gervais throughout the week.

Special shows dedicated to the younger residents of the borough will also be taking place in Walpole Park starting with Sooty's Summer Show and Nellie the Elephant and her circus friends.

The largest free Jazz festival in the UK is also being hosted in Ealing featuring 150 musicians and 30 different bands from Sunday, August 4.

For further information and tickets for paid events, call the box office on 020 8579 5436 or visit www.ealing.gov.uk/events. Look out for a special guide to this year's Summer Festival in next week's Times

July 17, 2002 18:00