AS the Latitude Festival at Henham Park gets into full swing, Dan Haynes takes a look at the highlights…THE Pet Shop Boys, Regina Spector and Little Boots are just three of the heavy-weight acts set to wow the crowds at Henham today as Latitude Festival 2009 gets underway.

AS the Latitude Festival at Henham Park gets into full swing, Dan Haynes takes a look at the highlights…

THE Pet Shop Boys, Regina Spector and Little Boots are just three of the heavy-weight acts set to wow the crowds at Henham today as Latitude Festival 2009 gets underway.

Revellers from all over the UK and beyond began arriving at Henham Park yesterday afternoon when the gates opened for campers and more will be pouring through the gates today as the first of the acts take to the stages.

The three-day festival, which includes four music arenas as well as comedy, cabaret, poetry and theatre stages, has become one of the highlights of a bustling UK summer festival calendar.

Amongst the plethora of acts entertaining the crowds over the weekend will be Grace Jones, The Pretenders, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Doves, Thom Yorke, comedians Jo Brand and Sean Lock, and poet Simon Armitage.

Headlining the main Obelisk Arena tonight are 80s pop legends Pet Shops Boys, who are enjoying a comeback and recently won an award for outstanding contribution to music at this years Brit Awards.

At the Uncut Arena, indie singer-songwriter Bat for Lashes will be headlining, fresh from her set at Glastonbury, while electro-pop sensation Little Boots will headline the Sunrise Arena and pop-funk outfit Golden Silvers will headline the Radio One Lake Stage.

Across the other stages Mark Thomas will headline the Comedy Arena, supported by Phil Nichol and Tim Vine, while Aisle16 and Friends will top the bill at the Poetry Arena.

Grace Jones, Doves and White Lies are amongst the heavy-weight acts set to play the Obelisk Arena tomorrow.

Across the three days there is a wealth of talent from across the artistic world. Thom Yorke, the lead singer of Radiohead, will be playing an acoustic set at noon on Sunday, and alternative indie-rock band Spiritualized will headline the Uncut Arena tomorrow, supported by popular singer-songwriter Newton Faulkner.

The frantic electro-punk sounds of !!! will fill the air at Henham when they headline the Sunrise Arena on the Sunday night, with Beth Ditto's indie-rock outfit Gossip competing for the crowds at the Uncut Arena. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, supported by Editors, will be headlining the Obelisk Arena.

Amongst the other musical acts worth a look over the weekend are melancholic post-rock band I Like Trains, eclectic blues-rock duo Joe Gideon and The Shark, electro-pop outfit Chew Lips, and electro-pop DJ Maps.

Highlights at the Comedy Arena are Mark Thomas, Dave Gorman and Ed Byrne, with The Voguettes, Fat 45 and Revealing Eve performing in the Cabaret Arena.

Keith Allen will appear at the Literary Arena, and the Royal Shakespeare Company and Young Vic will be performing at the Theatre Arena.

Dermot O'Leary, Claudia Winkleman and fashion legend Vivienne Westwood will also be broadcasting live from inside the radio tent.

For more information on Latitude visit www.latitudefestival.co.uk.