THE festival season is well and truly up and running. Announced this week is legendary American bluegrass band Hot Rize who will be the final headline act for this year’s Purbeck Valley Folk Festival (August 27-30).

The highly-respected group, which is famed for its award-winning performances will be a festival highlight on the Sunday. There is no band like Hot Rize. The quartet is currently celebrating its 36th year and has won many hearts with their irresistible combination of traditional and contemporary bluegrass.

Organiser Catherine Burke believes Hot Rize will be the ultimate addition to the family-friendly festival:

“We are more excited than you can even imagine to announce that Hot Rize will be completing the list of headliners at Purbeck this year. These guys are the absolute cream of bluegrass instrumentalists and singers, they’re just awesome.

“Between them they have won loads of IBMA awards, Grammys, started two bluegrass tuition schools and they are simply brilliant.”

The band’s revival comes 24 years after the quartet ceased full-time touring and recording in 1990, still offering several performances a year until the 1999 passing of founding member Charles Sawtelle. Hot Rize resumed performing in 2002, adding Nashville guitar ace Bryan Sutton in 2002 to join long-term members Tim O’Brien, Nick Forster, and Pete Wernick — who first delivered the unique Hot Rize sound together with Sawtelle in 1978.

Hot Rize join headline acts Chris Difford, Justin Currie, Richard Thompson, Stornoway, Kathryn Tickell, Megson, Martha Tilston & the Scientists, Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin and The Moulettes.

Bursting with good music and family fun galore, the Purbeck Valley Folk Festival, is set to be the highlight of the summer. Legendary acts rub shoulders with upcoming talent amidst the beautiful hillside surroundings of the Purbeck Valley Folk Festival located on the A351 (Valley Road) between Corfe Castle and Swanage.?

Festival-goers are also in for a special treat, as Saturday’s Songwriting Circle will see headliners Chris Difford and Justin Currie taking part. This is an intimate opportunity to hear the stories behind the songs from the musicians themselves.

Tickets are selling fast for this year’s festival, which takes place on 27-30 August. Weekend tickets (Fri-Sun) include free camping and are on sale now at just £100 (youth £50, children over three £20). A limited number of Festival day tickets are also now on sale at £50 per day (£25 youth, £10 child).

For more information please visit www.purbeckvalleyfolkfestival.co.uk and for tickets call 023 80711818 or?www.ticketsouth.co.uk