Fest with the best zest!

Organised by volunteers, the festival is Wimborne’s biggest event of the year and regularly attracts tens of thousands to the town. It also features one of the largest gatherings of dance teams and musicians in the south.

Wimborne loves an event and really comes alive over this weekend of music and comedy, ceilidhs, workshops, dance displays, street markets and family areas.

Other acts to look out for: Cool: 16-String Jack’s strippedback, driving hybrid of Americana, Irish Traditional music and shanties, is so popular they get asked back every year.

Authentic: Blandford’s Allan Winter’s true, traditional folk sound comes via a repertoire of songs collected from around the world. With added intricate guitar playing, he’s a reminder of what folk is all about.

Spirited: The clue’s in the name. Bomo Swing comes bouncing out of Bournemouth to add a swing vibe to folky proceedings. The energetic eight piece offers a unique blend of influences, strung together by a vigorous gypsy violin. Should add a smile to your face and a fiesta to your feet.

Dorsety: Again, the clue’s in the name. Dorset Phil, a one-off with a big following for his light-hearted, original songs about cider, good times, and, well, Dorset.

Rockin’: Bournemouth’s Mikey Ball and The Company wow audiences and critics alike with numbers influenced by Bruce Springsteen, Frank Turner, The Levellers and Jason Isbell.

Hyper-local: Wimborne Guitars, a guitar group – funnily enough - ranging from advanced to absolute beginners usually meet up at the Allendale Centre, but they’re about to hit the festival, so be sure to give them a big, finger-pickin’ hand!

Story-weaver: Singer- songwriter, Will Adams is an expert historical storyteller and musicians like Simon Swarbrick and Leonardo McKenzie are in his line-up of musos who form part of Graffiti – a flexible collection of talented English Folk sorts located in Dorset. Crowd pleaser: Fancy that, it’s Tit4Tat! This acousticcovers duo from Bournemouth and Wimborne packs a hefty selection of much-loved covers with a few surprises thrown in. Be warned – you will sing along to their classics ‘with a twist’. Poignant/funny: Female-led musical comedy outfit, the Polly Morris Band, performs both laugh-out-loud songs and heart-breakingly-moving ones. Dorset based, they advise their audience to ‘Expect the Unexpected.’

Must-see: Shimmie Theatre helps adults with special needs build their confidence and get creative through performing. This enables social interaction, a sense of self-esteem and increased health and wellbeing. They’ll be showcasing the music, dance and drama they’ve been rehearsing – so go see!

Arts & Entertainments

by Lorraine Gibson

Keep an eye out for a silver-spotted top hat as national treasure, MBE, and Godfather of Glam, Noddy Holder is in Wimborne this month to reminisce over a lifetime of monumental achievements, possibly through star-shaped, rose-tinted glasses. Prepare to be transported back to the poptastic Seventies, Eighties and Nineties in this show where Sir Nodward, of West Midlandshire picks his favourite songs and tells stories from his early days on the beat scene, his stint as Robert Plant’s roadie, the all-conquering Top of the Pops appearances, endless world tours, thespian triumphs and changing the face of fashion!

This is a gig with a difference as, rather than performing, Holder’s the guest of Tom Seals, the lauded musician behind Sky’s Tom Seals Presents... a music chat show he hosts on TV and in sell-out live shows worldwide.

Hailed by Jools Holland as ‘an extraordinary young talent’ and compared to Little Richard, by Tom Jones, Seals is already a big hitter, regularly selling out at London’s Ronnie Scott’s, New York’s Birdland Jazz Club and the Dubai Opera House. Holder is chuffed to buttons that he can sit back and chew the fat, between live performances of favourite tunes, courtesy of jazz/blues pianist/vocalist Seals and his excellent band.

This show sees Sales and Holder reunited on stage after ‘triumphant’ appearances together in Edinburgh and London. Seals is a demon on the piano and has

Ska and Pimms; what’s not to like?

‘There is an air of excitement at The Wimborne Royal British Legion as they gear up to welcome members and non-members alike during the annual Wimborne Minster Folk Festival.

They certainly have a fun-filled weekend of events planned for their visitors.

On Saturday, Hobos Morris will be dancing twice and Paul Michael (as seen on ITV’s Starstruck) will be performing a host of tracks from all musical genres from 4.00pm.

On Sunday Lewis & The Sound

Of The Suburbs will be treating the crowds to a selection of SKA and Reggae numbers from 3.00pm.

Weather permitting, both live music events will be held on the outside terrace.

All weekend there will be mouth-watering, freshly prepared food from both Flaming Peaches’ food truck and also the Fiery Fox and their wood-fired pizzas.

The outside bar will open from