ROLL up, roll up for a weekend of fun and frolics as the 33rd Wimborne Folk Festival takes over the town.

A grand total of 47 dance teams have jumped at the chance to take part in the annual event from Friday, June 8, to Sunday, June 10.

Organisers are excited about using the Square’s larger performance space for the first time, which will have been unveiled the weekend before.

A festival founder, Maria Bisp, said: “I think it will be lovely to see dancers having their own area on the Square. We’re going to use the larger paved area on Saturday as a dance spot, and it will also be an ideal place for any charities that get involved to collect too.

“The Square will really open up and lend itself to the festival, as people will have more room to watch.”

The festival opens with a procession at 7.30pm on Friday and a concert in the Allendale Centre’s Quarterjack Suite.

Gigs run there throughout the weekend, culminating with a final concert in the Main Hall on Sunday.

Bands including Irish group Lunasa, the Rua Macmillan Trio from Scotland and German collective Cara are all travelling to the festival.

Dance troupes are coming from as far and wide as the Isle of Wight, Devon and Northumberland to take part, and will join local groups including Wimborne First School Morris, Hobos Morris, from Poole, and Gugge 2000 for the Saturday main procession at 2.30pm.

Bourne River Morris Men, which formed in 1967 and have danced at the festival every year, warmed up for the event with a May Day celebration on Holt Heath.

Mrs Bisp, who set up the event with husband Brian, added: “We’ve also got new sides that haven’t been to Wimborne before that we can show the town off to. We’re classed as a very good festival, a very ‘dancer’s festival’ in as much as we have dancing throughout the town and actually acknowledge them.

“It’s very varied, very accessible and over the years it has just become known across the country.”

Despite its success, last year the festival looked in doubt as funding troubles hit. Mrs Bisp admits that like many voluntary groups they are “struggling” to keep going and urges visitors to donate change.

“We are struggling,” she said. “All of the teams will be carrying official donation pots and I’d like to say to people please give generously.”

She added: “We just want the festival to carry on. It brings an awful lot of people into Wimborne, some travelling from afar to what is basically a small country town – but a beautiful one.”

Food stalls will be set up throughout the town all weekend, with a craft and charity market on Sunday.

And the Minster will hold its annual fair for 13 local charities on the Green on Saturday to tie in.

Those inspired by the performances can have a go themselves at workshops, and children’s entertainment comes from Ticklish Allsorts and Krazy Kev.

“We’re hoping for two days of good weather and we just want the public to come in and enjoy themselves with us,”

Mrs Bisp added. “We want them to love what we love.”

• Concert tickets are available in advance or from the Festival Office,The Allendale Centre or Hanham Road over the weekend. Visit wimbornefolk festival .co.uk or call Linda Wild on 01202 623740 to book