There are some big names heading to one of Dorset's fastest growing festivals down on the farm. JOANNA DAVIS takes a look at what we can expect from this year's PURBECK VALLEY FOLK FESTIVAL

THE Purbeck Valley Folk Festival looks set to be the final flourish of summer where legendary acts rub shoulders with new talent.

This year’s line-up includes Badly Drawn Boy, Turin Brakes, Ben Ottewell (from Gomez), Michele Stodart (from The Magic Numbers), This Is The Kit, Martha Tilston, Kathryn Williams and Dorset favourites, The Ben Waters Band.

Not to mention exciting stars of the folk scene such as Gabby Young and John Smith.

Running over the August Bank Holiday weekend, revellers can expect the best folk, roots and world music. The organisers say they have chosen a line-up that reflects the diversity of the current folk scene, with plenty to keep music lovers and families entertained.

Organiser Catherine Burke said: “We have a broad definition of folk music at Purbeck Valley. As promoters we listen to the feedback our audience gives us. We always ask festival-goers to tell us who they’d like to see at the festival and, as well as introducing them to new music that we think they’ll like.”

The Friday night will see headliners Turin Brakes make a welcome return to the Purbeck Valley Folk Festival. Having sold more than one million albums across the world and with a dedicated fanbase, Turin Brakes last played at the Purbeck Valley Folk Festival in 2014.

Catherine said: “It’s so good that Turin Brakes are coming back to play this year. They played for us at Purbeck when we were on the old site and it was absolutely brilliant. They were the highlight of the festival. They seemed to really enjoy it too, I guess that’s why they want to come back!”

The band's seventh studio album Lost Property stormed into the UK Top 40 album charts on its release in January this year and the three singles they released from it were all playlisted on BBC Radio 2.

Catherine added: “We had so much excitement beforehand and positive feedback afterwards that we had to invite them to come back. They’re just brilliant.”

The Saturday will see the major acts coming thick and fast with a headlining turn from Michele Stodart of The Magic Numbers, Gabby Young and Kathryn Williams.

The Sunday night promises to be extra special and features Badly Drawn Boy, aka singer-songwriter Damon Gough who shot to fame in 2000 with his Mercury Music Award winning debut, The Hour Of Bewilderbeast.

Catherine says she is over the moon that Badly Drawn Boy is making his Purbeck Valley Folk Festival debut: “It’s a real coup for us to get Damon on the bill. We always thought he’d be perfect for the Sunday solo slot.

“He brings his raw lyrical power to Purbeck Valley, coupled with his Mancunian humour and charm. It also doubles the amount of Mercury Music Award Winners performing this year, as Ben Ottewell from Gomez won in 1998.”

Badly Drawn Boy has released four studio albums following his debut.

This includes Have You Fed The Fish? in 2002, One Plus One Is One in 2004, Born In The UK in 2006 and 2010's It’s What I’m Thinking Part 1: Photographing Snowflakes.

He has also released three film soundtracks, including About A Boy in 2002, from the film of the same name, Is There Nothing We Could Do? in 2009, from the Caroline Aherne film The Fattest Man In The UK and Being Flynn from the 2012 film of the same name.

Badly Drawn Boy’s soundtrack to the 2002 film About A Boy, starring Hugh Grant, remains one of his most critically acclaimed and successful albums and spawned two singles, Silent Sigh and Something To Talk About.

Music fans are also in for a special treat, as Saturday’s Songwriting Circle will see headline acts Kathryn Williams, Michele Stodart and Ross Wilson (Blue Rose Code) all taking part. This is an intimate opportunity to hear the stories behind the songs from the musicians themselves.

Kathryn Williams is an English singer-songwriter who to date has released 13 studio albums, written and arranged for a multitude of artists, and was nominated for the 2000 Mercury Music Prize.

Williams released her first album, on her own Caw Records label in 1999 with a budget of £80. The follow-up, Little Black Numbers, garnered a Mercury Prize nomination in 2000, bringing her to the attention of a wider public. Williams has collaborated and recorded with artists including Chris Difford, Thea Gilmore, John Martyn, Joel Salakula, Tobias Froberg.

Catherine said: “The Songwriters’ Circle was mentioned in lots of your feedback as one of the favourite features at the festival. Last year it was just brilliant, and this year is shaping up to be even better with Kathryn Williams, Michele Stodart and Ross Wilson (Blue Rose Code).

“The songwriters circle is a unique way of hearing these songwriters’ song in an intimate, less formal way, hearing a little bit about the song and how they came up with it, and the writing process.”

Of course it’s not just about the music, as the Purbeck Valley Folk Festival also features a host of other popular attractions including comperes, stage crew, kids entertainers, storytellers, craft workshops, music workshops, song sessions, poetry, Purbeck Rising, open mics and the very best folk, roots and world music.

All this surrounded by stunning views of Corfe Castle, accessible camping and some truly delicious food.

*Purbeck Valley Folk Festival, August 24 to 27.

Weekend tickets (Thurs-Sun) include free camping and are on sale for £110 (youth £55, children age 4-11 £30). A limited number of festival day tickets are now available at £51 per day (£25 youth, £15 child).

Visit purbeckvalleyfolkfestival.co.uk