THE SUN was beaming just as brightly as the crowds at the inaugural Wimborne Minster Folk Festival at the weekend.

The new-look festival is the first to be planned by a brand new committee, formed after the retirement of the former organisers last year.

Despite the change, it was business as usual at the popular event, with many visitors even saying it was even better than in previous years.

See all our pictures from the Wimborne Folk Festival 2013 in our gallery

Sandy Gough, a dancer with Fleet Morris, said: “This is one of the festivals we most look forward to visiting. There is a really lovely atmosphere around the town and everyone is smiling and friendly.”

Six-year-old Daizy Williams, who is in the first year of Colehill First School, brought a very special visitor to the festival.

Mum Frances said: “Daizy has brought Barnaby the Bear along.

“The pupils get a chance to take him home and write a diary for him, and Daizy thought it would be nice to bring him along to the festival for the weekend.”

Jenny Dejonge, 29, visited the festival from Winterbourne Stoke with seven-month-old Michael.

She said: “We’ve come quite a long way to be here today, but it’s worth it.

“It’s a really nice event and we’re having a lovely time. Michael is a bit too young for it, but there are lots of really nice events for kids here too.”

The Allendale Centre was a hive of activity for youngsters throughout the weekend, and manager Andy Bryant said the activity event had been a massive success.

“It’s chock-a-block here,” he said.

“It’s been absolutely brilliant. They have done a really good job of organising it and they’ve brought something new to it. Last year’s event was a bit more commercial but this is family-friendly – very Wimborne.”

Chair of the committee Mike Carhart-Harris said he was delighted with the event.

“The festival reminds me of why Wimborne is so special,” he said.

“It has been a fantastic weekend. The atmosphere around the town is amazing.”