Music and dance is to be the theme of this year’s Edenbridge Rotary Festival on Bank Holiday Monday, 26 May.

The event at the Lingfield Road Recreation Ground in Edenbridge will feature a huge range of bands, groups, singers and dancers, who will perform throughout the day on a large central stage.

In addition, there will be many free activities for the youngsters and dozens of stalls run by local groups and organisations.

“This is our fourth year and hopefully it will be our first of brilliant sunshine,” said festival committee chairman Jim Burbridge. “We really just want people to come along and enjoy themselves.

“By using a big stage instead of an arena we will be bringing everyone together. It’s going to be a party atmosphere with groups playing and people coming up to dance.

“There will be music for everyone from pop and rock to opera and folk.”

Edenbridge Town Band will get the festival off to a great musical start at 11am with the official opening at 12 noon by television antiques expert Catherine Southon.

Oxted School-based band The Leapers will follow at 12.30pm with folk and rock singer Russell Barrow at 1pm, Lea Smith’s hipsinc. belly dancers at 1.30pm and pop duo Vicky and Serena at 2pm.

Opera lovers will enjoy The Aquarian Opera performance at 2.30pm, which will be followed by Pure Dance at 3pm and Doody’s Circus Workshop display at 3.30pm.

The afternoon’s entertainment will conclude with folk group Life of Riley at 4pm.

There will be plenty of other things to do during the day too with loads of free entertainment for the kids including a land train, Kiddi Karts, octopus and teacup rides, swing boats and face painting.

Other attractions include stalls, a bouncy castle, dog show and a walk by the Edenbridge Strollers around the local countryside starting at 9.30am in the recreation ground.

An arts and crafts display will also be held in the pavilion this year featuring a photographic competition with the title ‘Scene Around Edenbridge High Street’, sponsored and judged by Dave Mansi of Dave Mansi Photography.

Application forms are available from Edenbridge Town Council offices at Doggetts Barn in the High Street.

This year’s major sponsor is developer Regalpoint, while the town council is supporting the music and dance theme with a £500 grant for the stage.

The organisers are always on the lookout for more helpers and stallholders.

For information call Jim on 01732 865399 or email jwb699@aol.com