MORE than 200,000 people are set to descend on the Great Dorset Steam Fair when it returns this August bank holiday.

Now in its 49th year, the Tarrant Hinton national heritage show takes place from Thursday, August 24, to Monday, August 28.

It claims to be the world’s largest heritage and cultural event showcasing Britain’s national industrial, agricultural and leisure history.

There will be six main stages and areas this year - the outdoor concert stage, the black bull, the countryman stage, the real ale marquee, the Michael Oliver marquee and the Shires Arms.

The full music line-up for the festival is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

As well as the impressive steam exhibitions and demonstrations there will be a World War One centenary commemoration, historic motor vehicles on display, tractors and classic plant vehicles as well as the Great Dorset Steam Fair at Night show.

Visitors will be able to view the mighty heavy horses, as well as other rural displays and attractions, variety shows, craft marquees and a food hall, trade stands and an auto jumble, stunt displays and a fairground.

Three of the largest fairground organs will be on show, fronted by a dancing stage where traditional Victorian and 1920s Can Can dancers will perform. Live on stage will be the Saunders Stage Dancers, the Passion Dance Troupe and the Julie Hatton Dancers, who are due to travel all the way from Scarborough.

The ‘wall of death’ has also been organised for this year where a motorcyclist uses gravitational force to ride around the inside walls of a vertical cylinder.

Returning this year will be Joby Carter’s grand palace of entertainment and the ‘traditional freak show’.

Tickets should be bought in advance by August 12 and can be purchased at http://www.gdsf.co.uk/shop-2/.