Counting down to this year's Sidmouth Folk Festival spectacular

THERE’S just one month to go before the spectacular Sidmouth Folk Festival lights up every nook and cranny of the picturesque Devon seaside town with song, dance and all manner of musical magic and merriment

- CLARE ROBINSON

The week-long event, returning for the 69th consecutive year, features hundreds of exciting live performances and happenings in a myriad of venues large and small, indoors and out, as well as plenty of opportunities to put on your dancing shoes, tune up your voice or your instruments and get involved. The options are endless – dip in and out on a day to day basis, or book for the whole week and pitch up at the official campsite.

The action kicks off with two special pre-festival headline shows with globally popular artists. Cornish shanty maestros The Fisherman’s Friends make a welcome return to Sidmouth on the evening of Thursday, August 3, followed by Scottish queen of song Barbara Dickson, with Nick Holland on the afternoon of Friday, August 4.