BROMYARD Folk Festival returns next month for its 49th outing in the town, headlined on Saturday night by Oysterband, and featuring a line-up of around 50 artists, not to mention a day of dancing, a young folk competition and music all around the town.

The festival starts on Friday at 8pm with a grand ceilidh and a ‘folk club’ on-site with a Morris procession through the town at 9pm. Headliners for the night are Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys from Prince Edward Island, a band that serves up " old-time roots music with an energy level that practically yanks you out of your seat by the collar." The first evening concludes with a late night song session at 11.45 pm.

Saturday morning features a range of workshops - from Appalachian to Zumba - singarounds, meet-the-artist sessions, concerts and dance displays. In the evening you will be able to choose from two concerts, a ceilidh, a musical variety concert, plus a late night club session – all on site.

Workshops for dedicated dancers will be held all day, with a ‘Dancers’ Day of Dance’ being held in the Falcon. Sunday morning has a similar pattern to Saturday plus the popular Folk Services in local churches. Sunday afternoon features a song concert and a grand ceilidh. There will be Morris and other dance displays throughout the weekend – in the town and on site - as well as a variety of children's events.

Saturday's headliners Oysterband, make, they say "a kind of modern, folk-based British music, acoustic at heart but not always quiet. We’ve been doing this for a long time, and we’re pretty good at it by now."

The festival features more 170 hours of entertainment in just one weekend of traditional music, song and dance, with some of the most outstanding local, national and international traditional folk musicians performing in concert, ceilidhs and displays. Among those joining Oysterband and Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys on the line-up are Jez Lowe, Rusty Shackle, The Young’uns, Les Barker, Keith Donnelly, Cardboard Fox and Devonbird.

The festival concludes with the popular Sunday evening concert in the Court Theatre (on-site) and most facilities will remain available – including camping – on Sunday night.

As ever, the festival features the Future of Folk Award, the competition open to any singer up to the age of 25. It takes place on Sunday in Falcon Mews, from 12 noon to 1.30pm. If you'd like to join the roll call of past winners, pick up an application form from the Information Office on the festival site and submit it by 6pm on Saturday. The winner receives a trophy and will be booked to appear at next year's Bromyard and Warwick Folk Festivals.