The four-day Purbeck Valley Folk Festival starts today. The event is is one of the biggest events in Purbeck's annual calender and hundreds are set to flock to the rolling hills of Purbeck Valley Farm for the family festival.
If you're heading there this bank holiday weekend, here's our guide to what's not to miss.
Weekend tickes are still available, visit purbeckvalleyfolkfestival.co.uk for more details.
The headliners
Folk, roots and world music will all be celebrated at this weekend’s Purbeck Valley Folk Festival. There will be something for all ages with a line-up that includes Richard Thompson, Hot Rize, Justin Currie, Stornoway, Chris Difford, Kathryn Tickell & the Side and The Moulettes.
The local acts
Like to keep your music local? A number of home-grown talents will be flying the flag for Dorset including favourites Fearne, Krista Green, Bonsai Pirates, Pete Christie, Djambo, Drew Allen, Tinderbox, Pachango, Jack Grace and Saturday Sun.
Purbeck Rising
Find out about the next big thing before everyone else does by checking out Purbeck Rising on Saturday afternoon. This talent contest will see five of the UK’s flourishing acts take to the stage after they were chosen by members of the public. The winning act will get to play on a main stage at Purbeck Valley Folk Festival next year, a spot at Folk on the Quay festival in Poole June 2016 and a one-day recording session.
The food
As well as some fantastic music, there will be lots of delicious food on offer. Foodies can tuck into chilli, Thai dishes, paella, pizza, crepes, posh burgers and Cuban sandwiches, gourmet grilled cheese toasties and roast haunch of venison. Vegetarians will also be well catered for.
The drink
Real ale and cider fans will be in heaven with a great selection of locally produced drinks to choose from. Isle of Purbeck, Dorset Brewing Company and Sunny Republic will be bringing you some of their finest tipples to keep festival-goers refreshed from draft beers to scrumpies and fruity ciders.
The beard off
Have you managed to cultivate some particularly spectacular facial hair? The Beard Off on Sunday is set to be one of the festival’s highlights with six categories to enter including “biggest, bestest and fullest beard”, “most creative beard” and “best non full-beard facial hair”. There are even categories for women and children, plus there’s even a “thanks for trying award.”
Poetry Slam
Poetry gets competitive when wordsmiths go head-to-head in the Duck Shed on Saturday afternoon. Two first round heats will take place when poets will be given three minutes to show off their skills. Judges picked from the audience will choose three winners from the heats to go through to round two. A grand final takes place on the Fire Stage on Sunday afternoon when the poetry slam champion will be crowned.
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