Dozens of volunteers have been knitting and crocheting to produce more than a mile of celebratory bunting to trim up the town of Holmfirth for its annual Festival of Folk next month.

This year’s festival, the ninth, has a French theme to celebrate the Grand Depart of the Tour de France in Yorkshire. The race will pass through Holmfirth in July.

Highlights of the music festival will include performances by Martin Simpson, Capercaille, Fay Hield, Nancy Kerr & James Fagan, Chas & Dave, Wizz Jones, Tom Attah and The Monster Ceilidh Band.

Holmfirth’s own American folk and bluegrass trio, True North, will also be featured in the programme that spans three days - from May 9 to 11. One of the aims of the festival is to showcase an eclectic mix of traditional and folk music, with everything from rock’n’roll-style Cockney folk to contemporary electronic folk dance music.

Many of the events and performances are free and unticketed; supported by local pubs bars and businesses. Details of individual acts and gigs can be found at www.holmfirthfestivaloffolk.co.uk

The current festival, masterminded by a committee formed nine years ago, continues a long tradition of folk music in the town. There has been a folk festival in Holmfirth for three decades.

A team of 20 volunteers mastermind the event, planning everything from gigs to campsites, and a further 40 helpers are drafted in as stewards for the weekend.

It’s not too late to join in the bunting project. Patterns for the triangular ‘flags’ and how to string them together can be picked up from Holmfirth Library, the Tourist Information Centre, and businesses in the town, or downloaded from the website.

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