WEYMOUTH harbourside is coming alive this weekend with the annual return of the Wessex Folk Festival.

Trinity Road and Hope Square are the main focus of events that give people the chance to enjoy great music and dance in a wonderful atmosphere.

And with the weather set fair for the weekend, organisers are hoping that people will pour in to their event.

Organiser Roger Quigley said: “We never count how many people come to the festival because it is a free event, but we are hoping that the good weather will really bring them out this year.

“People love this because it’s a free festival with great music and it is a family affair.

“It has a lovely, safe atmosphere and there is so much more to see than music. For the children there will be stilt-walkers, pirates who will be rattling tins for charity and a balloon modelling workshops plus lots of other things to take part in.

“Trinity Road is closed for the Morris dancing and traders and there will be live music in Hope Square all day on Saturday and Sunday.”

Among the highlights of the weekend festival are a concert by Jackie Oates in Hope Church at 7pm this evening, with tickets costing £10 in advance, and a ceilidh that starts in Hope Square, also at 7pm, and moves indoors at 9pm. The music will be provided by The Tree Fellhas.

Twelve teams of Morris dancers have travelled from across the UK and a couple of Appalachian dance teams will also be performing.

Several workshops have also been lined up for people keen to learn new skills and instruments, including the spoons, bodhran, bluegrass fiddle, left-hand techniques and much more.

Aspiring lyricists can also take part in the festival’s songwriting competition.

As well as Trinity Road and Hope Square, where music will start at 11am today and tomorrow, there will be informal music sessions in the King’s Arms and Sailor’s Return throughout the weekend and a stage has been set up near the White Motor Boats.

Roger Quigley added: “The folk festival is a lovely community event and we hope this year’s will be a really good one.”

• Trinity Road will be closed to traffic between 7am and 10pm today and tomorrow.

Safety plans made for festival

POLICE are drawing up plans to ensure a Dorset festival passes off safely next weekend.

There will be extra officers on patrol around Wimborne for the town’s annual folk festival incorporating the Party in the Paddock from Friday, June 10 to Sunday, June 12.

Dorset Police work with licensees and the local council in order to prevent underage drinking, alcohol-fuelled violence and anti-social behaviour.

Police will be using dispersal powers to direct anyone behaving inappropriately away from the area.

Sergeant Alan Setchell, of East Dorset Police, said: “These powers will enable officers to deal proportionately, robustly, promptly – and even more effectively – with anti-social and alcohol-related crime and disorder offences before they escalate.”

Safer Neighbourhood officers have visited licensed premises and advising landlords on steps they can take to help make sure their venues are as safe and fun as possible.

A number of road closures will be in force during the weekend, principally Wimborne Square, the High Street and East Street, and adjacent roads. A section of Poole Road will also be subject to a road closure between 11pm and 1am on both Friday and Saturday evening.