This year is the celebration of the 50th Bromyard Folk Festival, the best folk cultural event in the Welsh Border area, featuring more than 170 hours of entertainment in just one weekend of traditional music, song and dance.

Some of the most outstanding local, national and international traditional folk musicians will be performing in concert, ceilidhs and displays, and headlining in the festival's Golden Jubilee year are Le Vent du Nord, Jamie Smith’s Mabon and The Mighty Doonans to name just three.

The programme is packed with all-seated concerts throughout the whole weekend - on the main stage as well as at many more venues aorund the site and in the town, including the Falcon Mews, a wonderful acoustic concert hall, and sessions in most of the pubs.

But there's much more to Bromyard Folk Festival than a stunning line-up of musicians - throughout the weekend there will also be a series of ceilidh dances with traditional folk’s best bands and callers, among them Tickled Pink, Contra Alt Delete and The Cock and Bull Band.

The Ceilidh Tent will also be the venue for yoga and zumba sessions with open mic spots on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon.

Dance is a big part of the festival which will be hosting teams of dancers from every corner of the country to perform both on-site and in the town. Dancing starts at 8.30pm on Friday with a procession through the town, from the Rose & Lion and along the High Street, accompanied by the Town Crier. Anyone who just wants to dance, dance, dance will want to take advantage of the dancer's day of dance with workshops on offer all day on Saturday.

Dance workshops represent just a part of the opportunities available, with other classes in Bodhran, Rapper, Song and Youth Music and new workshops in Zumba and Street from Amy Crampsie available to anyone with a Saturday or Sunday ticket.

Children's entertainment comes from Doctor Sunshine’s Pavement Show, which was founded by Dave Hunt (“Doctor Sunshine”) and the late Vic Baker (“Professor Wingnut”) over 30 years ago. The show will include audience involvement and participation….with lots of funny songs, rhymes, tongue twisters, stories and games. Also lined up to keep the kids happy is Jan Edgecombe's Blackboard Van - an interchangeable stage for self-expression in design, dance and drama with dressing up clothes, masks and face/body painting.

A relative newcomer in festival terms, The Future of Young Folk Award returns for its 16th outing - the competition is open to any singer up to the age of 25 and takes place on Sunday in Falcon Mews from 12 until 1.30pm. Just pick up an application form from the Information Office on the Festival site and submit it by 6pm on Saturday. The winner will receive a handsome trophy and be booked to appear at next year’s Bromyard and Warwick Folk Festivals.

Bromyard Folk Festival takes place from Friday, September 8 to Saturday, September 10. To book, call The Courtyard box office on 01432 340555 or visit courtyard.org.uk. For the full line-up and further information, visit bromyardfolkfestival.co.uk