Durham Brass Festival highlights are hard to choose as there are so many great-looking events - but we've picked out five that have particularly caught our eye.

The Durham Brass Festival 2019 starts on Friday July 12 and lasts for 10 days. The schedule includes a series of concerts - both traditional events and also more informal street gigs - and also outreach work and impromptu music.

But which should you choose? We've picked out five Durham Brass Festival highlights that we'd love to go to. We've also got all the links to book tickets for these events in our Durham Brass Festival tickets story.

Durham Brass Festival highlights #1

Big BRASS Party, Saturday July 20: The Durham Brass Festival Wharton Park events are always great fun - and best of all they're free. Taking place in the recently refurbished outdoor auditorium, there's always a great atmosphere. Take a picnic to the big brass party which brings together the street bands for a big concert. It's from 6-9pm at Wharton Park and is free.

If we can also sneak an additional concert into our list of Durham Brass Festival highlights, there's another brass festival concert at Wharton Park. Wharton Park meets the West End is on Sunday July 21 and The Scottish Swing Orchestra and the Festival Broadway Chorus will play brass arrangements of musical theatre hits. It's from 6-8pm at Wharton Park, and is free. The Wharton Park cafe will remain open throughout the event.

Read next: Durham music, theatre and comedy gigs this week

Durham Brass Festival highlights #2

Brass Oktoberfest, Thursday July 18: Durham Town Hall becomes a beer hall for an evening of German food, beer and brass. Oompah Brass will be joined by performers from Tubingen, Durham's twin town. It's at 7.30pm in the town hall, and it's over 18s only.

Durham Brass Festival highlights #3

Verdi's Requiem, Saturday July 20: Verdi's Requiem features the Brass Festival Choir accompanied by the Reg Vardy Band, as well as a special guest choir from Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church in Dallas, Texas. It's at 7.30pm in Durham Cathedral.

Read next: A full list of the Durham Brass Festival free events

Durham Brass Festival highlights #4

Brighouse and Rastrick Band, Sunday July 21: This year the celebrity brass concert features the world-famous Brighouse and Rastrick Band. In 1977 the Brighouse and Rastrick Band reached number two position in the singles chart with their recording of The Floral Dance. They are also the reigning National Champions, which they've won 10 times. It's at 3pm at the Durham Gala Theatre.

Durham Brass Festival highlights #5

BRASS on the Bus, July 16-19: If you live elsewhere in County Durham, this is a chance to enjoy the Durham Brass Festival 2019 without having to head into Durham city. The Big Brass Bus will be taking bands to several locations around the county.

On Tuesday July 16 the Big Brass Bus is at the Apollo Pavilion, Peterlee at 11am, then at the Lanchester Street Ceilidh from 6-8pm. On Wednesday July 17 it's at Chester-le-Street Marketplace from 6-8pm. On Thursday July 18 it'll be joining the Full Moon Market in Bishop Auckland Marketplace from 6-8pm. And then on Friday July 19 the Big Brass Bus is at Steam Machine, Newton Aycliffe from 7-9pm.

No Durham Brass Festival tickets are needed: all the Big Brass Bus events are free, so just turn up.

Read next: There's a Durham Brass Festival secret gig - and tickets are on sale