A SUMMER family concert will make Abbotsbury sizzle on Saturday.

Show of Hands’ festival at Abbotsbury Sub Tropical Gardens near Weymouth celebrates its 16th year from 3pm.

This year the hosting honours are down to the folk band’s award-winning singer songwriter Steve Knightley, pictured, who will spearhead more than six hours of non-stop open-air entertainment on Abbotsbury’s West Lawn.

Knightley – one of the biggest names in British folk – will be joined by two of the hottest duos on the UK roots scene – winners of the 2014 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards Best Duo title Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin and double bass/mandolin pairing Miranda Sykes and Rex Preston.

Straight from their Best Duo success at this year’s BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, fellow Devon musicians Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin will also be heading to Abbotsbury.

Joining the alfresco action is Sheelanagig, which will bring a party central atmosphere to Abbotsbury with their high octane Balkan music mayhem which has been witnessed at Glastonbury and dance floors from Scotland to Southern Italy.

Aaron, Adrian, Kit, John and Dorian promise festival frenzy with elements of street theatre, storytelling and even acrobatics.

Completing the line-up with be the youngest performers ever seen at Abbotsbury – the astonishingly mature Aimee. The trio is led by 17 year-old singer songwriter Aimee Mackenzie and her younger siblings Freya, aged 13, on violin and backing vocals and Ross, aged 11, on cajon.

Hailing from Hampshire, they won the Southdowns Folk Festival’s Young Folk Performers contest last year and have supported Blair Dunlop, Luke Jackson, Legacy and Josienne Clark and Ben Walker – as well as Show of Hands. The Abbotsbury event, which promises a memorable finale, starts at 3pm.

Tickets are available on 01305 871130, price £30 (adults); £17 (children) or a family ticket for two adults and up to three children for £65.

The Abbotsbury Tourism box office is open 9am to 1pm and 2 to 5pm Mondays to Fridays.

Further information is from www.abbotsbury-tourism.co.uk or email info@abbotsbury-tourism.co.uk Concertgoers are invited to bring low-backed seating, rugs and picnics into the grounds – entry to the West Lawn area is from 1.30pm.

The grounds open at 10am for those interested in looking round the magnificent 20-acre gardens (admission included in ticket price) with one trail taking visitors to a viewpoint overlooking the Jurassic coast and Chesil Beach.

For the youngsters, children’s entertainer Rob Pudner will be on hand with his circus skills and storytelling and face painters will also be at the ready