TOP local and national artists will headline at the 41st Dartmoor Folk Festival, which will be held at South Zeal, near Okehampton, on August 10, 11 and 12.

They include Jamie Smith’s Mabon (Friday), Melrose Quartet (Saturday), Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman, Nancy Kerr and James Fagan (Sunday), Granny’s Attic, Melrose Ceilidh Band, Cardboard Fox, Flash Jack and Pete White’s Suitcase Circus.

Other artists attending will be The Dartmoor Pixie Band, Ramsley Minors, Entertainingly Different, Dave Wills and various morris and dance teams.

The annual family-festival includes concerts, a ramble on Dartmoor, a ceilidh, folk service, craft displays, dances, a dedicated Children’s Festival, a Dartmoor Fayre, music hall, pub sessions and music, song and dance workshops.

Hotly-contested competitions are the Dartmoor Broom Dance championships and Dartmoor Stepdance Championships.

It was 41 years ago that the festival was founded by the late Bob Cann, who lived in the parish of South Zeal. He had the dream of a folk event on his doorstep that would help to revive and preserve the traditions of Dartmoor.

It was the traditional music, dance, song and crafts of the area that formed the basis for the first festival and they still remain for the association which runs the festival today.

Since it was founded it has grown so that it can invite some of the best folk artists around, whilst maintaining its reputation for being a relaxed, friendly and traditional festival.

For further details, or to buy tickets, visit the website: www.dartmoorfolkfestival.org.uk .

Enquiries can be made by telephoning 01837 840102 or email: [email protected] .

Alan Quick