SOME of music’s brightest young stars head to Bournemouth this month to prove that folk music is entering an exciting new era.

Ambitious prog-folk quintet The Moulettes, BBC Young Folk Award winner Megan Henwood and local favourites Fearne are just a few of the new wave set to rock the Bournemouth Folk Festival at the BIC’s Tregonwell Hall on Friday, March 23 and Saturday 24.

Fans are also looking forward to a multi-cultural jamboree over the two days, with electrifying Anglo-Spanish outfit Urban Folk Quartet, globe-trotting trio Korasong Radio and Grupo Lokito, a heady mix of Congolese and Latin rhythms, among 20 diverse acts.

Dubbed ‘the Welsh Bruce Springsteen’, acclaimed singer-songwriter Martyn Joseph takes to the stage on Saturday afternoon as well as fronting his own songwriting workshop.

Local musician and singer Alex Roberts, Martha Tilston and The Woods and Australian singer-songwriter Emily Barker and her band the Red Clay Halo also appear on Saturday, alongside hoedown and ceilidh favourites Cut-a-Shine.

On Saturday, the Purbeck Lounge will host performances from artists including The Paper Shades, Holika, local favourite Malcolm Bishop and Southampton band Jigfoot. For details visit bournemouth folkfestival.co.uk For details of this year’s Purbeck Folk Festival over the August Bank Holiday, visit purbeckfolk.co.uk