TWO annual events dominate the town diary in Bromyard, - the Gala and the Folk Festival. The gala is held in June and the main event is held on the show ground off the A465. As well as local exhibitions, the gala boasts a notable collection of vintage machinery, including steam-engines, tractors, motor cycles and caravans.

There are two full days of entertainment staged in the main show ring and lots more besides. 'Folk' covers almost every musical and artistic style imaginable, and over the festival weekend the town is full of street performers and their fans.

Morris men, guitarists, saxophonists, mouth organ players, country dancers and country singers all play their part in creating the atmosphere, and there is much more to enjoy in addition. Outside these two major events, the town still has much to attract the visitor, with its black and white buildings, leisure centre, interesting shops, inns and hotels.

The Tourist Information Centre is contained within the Heritage Centre in Rowberry Street. The

Heritage Centre's major display features hops and hop-picking, re-creating the days when the urban dwellers of South Wales and Birmingham descended on the town each autumn as seasonal workers to assist in the hop harvest.

In the attractive countryside which surrounds the town there are many other possibilites for the

visitor's enjoyment. One such is the Shortwood Working Dairy Farm at Pencombe which provides

the chance of seeing a wide variety of animals - cows, calves, pigs, sheep, poultry and donkeys as well as the ever popular farm cats.

The farm trail is a must for those who enjoy walking, offering long and short routes around the

farm and woodland with magnificent views across the Herefordshire landscape.