Running until 9th September 2012, there are more than 10 million free tickets and opportunities for people to get involved in the once-in-a-lifetime Festival, which features more than 25,000 artists from all 204 competing Olympic and Paralympic nations.

Performances will take place at 900 venues in villages, towns and cities all over the UK, including 137 world premieres and 85 UK premieres.

The mark the London 2012 Festival opening  five spectacular events are taking place in Stirling, Derry-Londonderry, South Wales the Lake District, and Birmingham.

Colleges and universities are equally making their mark by getting involved with Sheffield Hallam University hosting the International Student Drama Festival, presenting the very best of British and international student drama in a nine-day extravaganza of theatre, comedy, music, workshops and debate held from 22nd – 30th June.

As part of Big Dance 2012, the UKs biggest celebration of dance, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance are hosting a fun family event of dance, circus performers and interactive activities this Saturday on the 23rd June.

Schools, colleges and independent dance groups across Hackney are also joining the Big Dance celebrations by taking part in the I Love Dance: Hackney Dance Festival to showcase their inspiring high-energy dance performances starting the 9th July.

Other highlights that are taking place include AfterGold (30th June-5th July) a series of unique sculptural works, installations and live events across Loughborough and Leicestershire that coincide with and celebrate the presence of Japanese Olympic teams at Loughborough University.

Students from the Hull School of Art and Design will be contributing to the Precious Cargo Exhibition by generating their own creative responses to precious items of Yorkshire heritage running from the 20th July 2012 until 13th January 2013.

This summer's standout cultural show was launched at King's College in London in front of the world's media on Tuesday 19th June 2012, where a fully staffed London 2012 Festival Press Office will be housed throughout the Festival.

 The press conference panel was represented by Tony Hall, Chair of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, Ruth Mackenzie, Director of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, Jeremy Hunt MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport and Munira Mirza, Deputy Mayor for Education and Culture.

Hunt, the Culture Secretary, described the London 2012 Festival as "the biggest in our history".

"It's the biggest cultural Festival in our history and it's a really huge moment, I don't think the penny has yet dropped with the public." He added: "It's going to be absolutely remarkable and incredibly exciting for anybody who loves culture."

To find out more, sign up for email updates at www.london2012.com/festival.

Podium would like to hear your stories of how you are taking part in the London 2012 Festival, please get in touch with the news team at newsdesk@podium.ac.uk.

A short video of the media conference, featuring some of the speakers, can be viewed below: 

By Stuart Appleby