FINAL preparations have been made this week for the first-ever Hoxne Music Festival, with a diverse programme of events taking place in the village over the bank holiday weekend.

FINAL preparations have been made this week for the first-ever Hoxne Music Festival, with a diverse programme of events taking place in the village over the bank holiday weekend.

“Our main aims are to bring music of all types - including world class performers - to

a rural community, and hopefully try to raise money

for local charities and organisations,” explained

Stuart Jarrold, chairman of the Hoxne Music Festival committee.

“We have had about a dozen local people working very hard on a voluntary basis for many months to put everything in place.”

The festival gets under way tomorrow night with a family ceilidh in the village hall (£10 - children free under 16) including refreshments. Saturday's free events on the village green start at noon with traditional organs, children's drumming, singing, clog and maypole dancing, followed by a 16 piece big band from 2pm. Buskers are invited to showcase their talents from 3pm.

One of the festival highlights will be a performance by '60s soul star Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band, supported by Denny Newman and the Regulars, from 7.30pm (£15) at the village hall.

There is another free open air concert on the village playing fields on Sunday. Seven local young bands will be performing from 1.30-6.30pm.

Classical music lovers are catered for on Sunday evening when world famous Piers Adams entertains with his own brand of humour and performs a recorder rhapsody, accom-panied on harpsichord by Howard Beach. The concert takes place in the village church of St Peter & St Paul from 7.30pm (£10).

All day bank holiday

Monday there will be

free musical workshops for children, in marquees at

the playing field and in the village hall. Youngsters can learn how to play African instruments, and drums, as

well as take part in vocal sessions.

Generous funding and grants from Hoxne Parish Council, Mid Suffolk Council, Suffolk County Council, Adnams brewery, Suffolk Single Gateway Arts for All, and M J & A J Easey have enabled many of the events to be staged free of charge.

“We are enormously grateful to all those who have contributed, including many local business who took advertising space in a fundraising Hoxne calendar we produced at the start of the year,” added Mr Jarrold.

“And students from Sir

John Leman School at Beccles, who have produced the artwork for our promotional material, and whose posters will be on display at events over the weekend.”

Ticket information is available on 01379 668179, and any tickets remaining will be available from Hoxne Post Office Stores or at the door on the night. Detailed information on each event and the performers is available on a specially dedicated website www.hoxnemusicfestival.com