Huddersfield's Jazz Guitar Society, founded five years ago, is to host the town’s first-ever festival for the musical genre.

Players from all over the UK will converge at the Rat and Ratchet pub on Chapel Hill for two days of concerts, workshops and informal solo performances next weekend (July 11 and 12).

“This is our first,” says one of the society’s founders Darren Dutson Bromley, “but we’d like to make it an annual event.

“Our last major concert was really well supported so we’re hoping for a good turn out over the weekend. We’ve got a lot going on and some really amazing players.”

The society, one of only four in the UK, is a group of jazz guitar enthusiasts of all ages and playing ability.

It was founded by four professional guitarists – Adrian Ingram, Ian Wroe, Martin Chung and Darren – and holds regular monthly meetings in the Rat and Ratchet.

Every few months the organisation hosts concerts and has brought some major names in jazz guitar to the town.

The festival will feature Roy Sainsbury, who has performed with several bands at some of the country’s most prestigious jazz clubs, including Ronnie Scott’s in London; Nigel Price, former member of the James Taylor Quartet and also a regular at Ronnie Scott’s; John Etheridge, who has recorded with iconic jazz fusion group Soft Machine as well as a number of world-famous musicians such as Stephane Grappelli and Nigel Kennedy; and Remi Harris, runner-up in two categories of the British Jazz Awards 2014.

From noon until 5pm on Saturday, July 11, the bar area and beer garden of the pub will host a series of one-hour sessions with a variety of players, including the society founders and other members.

At the same time there will also be workshops on a variety of topics – from gypsy jazz guitar techniques to melodic bebop. The day ends with a jam session at 6pm and then a concert with Roy Sainsbury, which starts at 8pm.

Sunday sees more live performances and workshops from noon until 5pm and the festival will close with a concert by the Jade Harris Band, Remi Harris and John Etheridge from 7.30pm.

During the festival, the society will be holding a fund-raising raffle - with a Gibson Super 400 as the top prize.

There is a £5 entry fee for all workshops, and concert tickets are £10. For details of society meetings and membership email huddjazzguitsoc@gmail.com or visit www.facebook.com/HuddersfieldJazzGuitarSociety