IT'S the final countdown - D'dada da, diddie dada da!!

Well in the local events world anyway as promoters and organisers prepare for the last weekend of events before we all go off on our hols.

There are of course other events taking place in August, most notably the Clacton Airshow, but with three major ones this Saturday and Sunday the last weekend in July will see Summer Events 2007 go out with a bang.

And there will be more than a few bangs at Colchester's Party in the Park with not one but three concerts all rounded-off with a spectacular firework display.

Tribute bands make-up Friday's line-up, orchestras and sopranos make-up Saturday's classic Last Night of the Proms and new for this year is Sunday's Chill in the Park, which will showcase the very best in local musical talent.

That includes the very fine Fuzzface, bright young loud things Streetlight Youth and, in the acoustic tent, the sultry magical tunes of Colchester singer songwriters Kerry Leatham and Laura Younger.

More music is to be had at Brightlingsea's annual music festival, which also runs to three days with pub slots on the Friday, the main open-air concert on the Saturday and a laid-back afternoon of music on Hurst Green on the Sunday.

Headliners are Eddie and the Hot Rods but other bands to look out for include local chart sensations Koopa, the Amber Plan, the Ramon Goose Band and Fuzzface again (busy boys).

Other events that will be cramming for your attention and delectation include the Harwich Sea Festival taking place on the waterfront from 11am on Sunday and the West Bergholt Historic Vehicle Rally on Saturday and Sunday from 10am at the Nayland Road showground, located just outside Colchester.

We finish with some cutting edge theatre. First the Priory Players doing a Macbeth with a contemporary in the gardens of Marshall Legal in Trinity Street, Colchester. That runs from Monday until Saturday.

On Tuesday Colchester's new drama wunderkinds Real Circumstance will be presenting Declan Feenan's tale of one woman's relationship with an older man, Limbo, at the Colchester Arts Centre from 8pm.

And now for this week's kids' corner.

Well Colchester Castle has got it going on this week with a visit from the Saxons on Tuesday and a chance to design your own Celtic T-shirt from Wednesday until Friday. Never knew the Celts wore T-shirts.

Later on they have Meet the Norman Soldier from July 30 to August 3; Cave painting art workshops from August 6 to 10 and a chance to make clay green men from August 20 to 24. For more details, or to book a place, call the world's largest surviving Norman Keep on 01206 282940.