BRIDPORT'S first folk festival is almost upon us.

A wealth of folk music can be heard in the town this weekend to bring Bridport into the annals of folk festival history.

With 70 plus acts on five stages to entertain over the three day event and a host of workshops covering bouzouki to barn dance, concertina to ceilidh, all the ingredients are in place for a fantastic festival.

There will be two very special concerts at the Bridport Electric Palace featuring a double headline bill on Saturday August 12 with festival patron Reg Meuross and support act Ninebarrow.

Reg has that rare gift of being able to touch people through his songs and performance, on a really human level. His words and music paint pictures that remain with the listener long after the song has been sung.

2017 heralds a new solo album, Faraway People, a fresh collection of songs which comment bravely on life as Reg sees it, bringing wide ranging stories, from the ravages of austerity and the injustice of the plight of refugees, to some of most beautifully disarming lyrics ever written.

Dorset-based Ninebarrow is made up of Jon Whitley (vocals, organ, ukulele, tenor, octave mandola, piano) and Jay LaBouchardiere (vocals, reed organ).

Whether it's beautiful harmonies on the traditional Three Ravens; or the ingenuity of The Pinner, their own song about a pin-maker who leaves precious trinkets at a 13th-century chapel near Worth Matravers. Releasing the Leaves is another example of how strong British folk is at the moment.

Tomorrow there will be a launch concert with the Polly Morris Band performing and support from band Kadia.

If you could imagine the love child of Bill Bailey and Victoria Wood that would be Polly Morris. Her observational comedy songs about such things as supermarket shopping or the perils of e-mail, are songs that you can instantly identify with. These are peppered with more thoughtful acoustic numbers that are reminiscent of Karen Carpenter

Both these concerts have been subsidised as a gesture of celebration for this new festival.

Family social dances and ceilidhs are just two of the more relaxed dances on offer plus more in depth dances for the more adept.

A folk festival should have vibrant sounds and colour and as a result there will be 27 Dance Sides comprising many genres from Morris, clog and Appalachian to Irish and Scottish and even Bulgarian!

This colourful and energetic infusion brings a dynamism to the festival and the proposed road closure on Sunday August 13 will see the finale of a Guinness World record attempt with an excess of 160 performers dancing to “Bonny Green Garter”.

The festival will conclude with a full street Ceilidh with an invitation for everyone to participate in dancing to our Festival ceilidh band ‘No Strings Attached’

A children's entertainment area will include the usual activities plus clown dance and Bouncy castle and children are encouraged to learn about musical instruments and folk dance.

Those who would like to be more involved can volunteer as a steward or become a supporter through a Crowdfunding campaign and help organisers to keep this a free festival for all the family.

The folk festival website can be found at bridportfolkfestival.co.uk

See crowdfunder.co.uk/bridport-folk-festival/, the Facebook page Bridport Folk Festival 2017 or email folkbridport2017@gmail.com for more information.