THE Mitcheldean Summer Festival kicks off this Friday (July 19) for three days of fun and entertainment.

And to get everyone in the festival spirit, the village has been bedecked with a kilometre of bunting and yarn bombs made by local volunteers.

The festival gets off to a musical start with a concert featuring six acts at St Michael’s and All Angels Church, starting at 7pm.

There’s Eden Tanner singing eclectic folk, followed by the Rob Connolly Band with music inspired by the likes of The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac.

The evening ends with the Dick Brice Memorial songwriting competition when the audience will hear from the top three entries.

Saturday will be a day of action with buskers and Morris Dancing around the village the from 10.30am and the fete on the playing field from 12.30pm.

Attractions will include dancing, refreshments, stalls, bouncy castle, dog show and school performances.

The festivities will be opened by the ‘King and Queen’ of Mitcheldean.

There will also be poetry from young poets in the church from 12pm and at the Jolter Press from 4pm.

And there is more music in the church starting at 4pm with another 10 acts.

They include the Hereford Folk Ensemble, ballads and riotous stomps from Lila and finishing with Ironeyser, Gods of Rock!

Or there’s a Barn Dance starting at 7.30 pm in Mitcheldean Community Centre featuring the Plump Hill Band.

Sunday starts with the circular Folk Walk at noon meeting up at the White Horse pub in the centre of the village and meandering through the fields, stopping at local pubs for a drink and a song on the way.

You can even book breakfast in advance.

And if you still have some energy left, there is an open acoustic session at the White Horse from 2pm or comedy at the Jolter press from 2pm.

A festival spokesman said: “The whole event is free and we are looking forward to welcoming everybody to a weekend of fun!

“You can get a programme of events from the library and some local shops and you can find out more at http://www.mitcheldeanfestival.fod.uk”