With almost 1,500 competitors - accompanied by family and friends - descending for the World Transplant Games this weekend, the North East is set to be the focus of sporting interest.
And crowds of spectators will be treated to a showcase of 16 events between this Saturday, August 17 and Saturday, August 24 with something for all interests.
The likes of athletics, football, swimming, cycling, archery, darts and 10-pin bowling will be hosted by 13 venues across Newcastle and Gateshead - as well as on Wearside - as people from countries including Azerbaijan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mongolia and Nepal show their mettle.
The World Transplant Games are being held in the UK for the first time since 1995 an , say organisers, they are all about celebrating "a second chance of living life to the full" with those participating - who are aged from six to 84 - having all benefited from a donor organ or tissue transplant.
During a warm-up event at Centre for Life earlier in August, visiting athletes included tennis player Joseph Hunsley, who received a liver transplant at the age of seven, and Kaylee Ann Davidson-Olley who is Britain’s longest surviving heart transplant patient, having received a new heart at the Freeman Hospital at just five months old.
The upcoming events will be free to watch and un-ticketed so many will be keen to know what sport will be played each day, when and where.
So, here's a break-down of events - and the competitors also will be slotting training sessions in between - but the timetable may yet be subject to change.
August 17
Competitors arrive and register
Opening ceremony - Sports Central in Newcastle, from 5pm until 10pm. Before this, an Athletes’ Parade will begin at 3.30pm from Old Eldon Square before making its way up Northumberland Street to Northumberland Road for about 5pm.
August 18
5k Road Race - Town Moor and Exhibition Park - 10.30am until 11.15am
Gift of Life - social occasion run/walk in the above location - 11am until noon
Volleyball - Gateshead International Stadium - 10am until 5pm
Archery individual - Gateshead International Stadium - 10am until 5pm
Petanque - singles - Sage Gateshead - 9am until 9pm
August 19
Golf - individual - Close House Golf Club - 9am until 5pm
Squash - Northumberland Tennis Club - 8.30am until 7pm
Cycling Time Trial - cycling team - Quayside - 9am until 4pm
Petanque - doubles - Sage Gateshead - 9am until 6.30pm
Football - Gateshead International Stadium - 10am until 5pm
Bowling - individual - Hollywood Bowl, Washington) - 10am until 6pm
Bowling - individual - NAMCO Funscape, intu Metrocentre - 10am until 6pm
Archery team - Gateshead International Stadium - 10am until 5pm
August 20
Swimming - Sunderland Aquatic Centre - 10am until 5pm
Cycling - 30K - Hetton Lyons Country Park - 10am until 3pm
Badminton - singles - Sports Central - 10am until 6pm
Bowling - pairs - Hollywood Bowl Washington/ NAMCO - 10am until 6pm
Cultural Evening 'Tyne Takeover' - Centre for Life - 6.30pm until 10.30pm
August 21
Golf - team - Close House Golf Club - 10am until 6pm
Swimming - Sunderland Aquatic Centre - 10am until 5pm
Tennis - singles - Northumberland Tennis Club - 9am until 7pm
Badminton - doubles - Sports Central - 10am until 6pm
Basketball - Eagles Community Arena - 10am until 5pm
Darts - St James' Park - 10.30am until 6pm
August 22
Athletics - Gateshead International Stadium - 10am until 7pm
Table Tennis - singles - Sports Central - 10am until 5pm
Tennis - doubles - The Northumberland Tennis Club - 9am until 7pm
August 23
Athletics - Gateshead Interntaional Stadium - 9am until 6pm
Table Tennis - doubles - Sports Central - 10am until 5pm
Gala Celebration - Utilita Arena, from 6.30pm until midnight
August 24
Competitors depart
Preparations for the event have been gathering pace across the region following its official launch event with Steve Cram at earlier this year.
Since then a whopping 800 volunteers - known as Team 19 - have signed up to support it and spread the word about the importance of organ donation.
For more information, including details about donation and how to get involved visit here .
