Folk in the Town returns for a second year, offering two days of traditional folk, Americana and Blue Grass music to get your toes tapping - and entry is free.

Wisbech Standard: Folk by the Town festival in King's Lynn.Folk by the Town festival in King's Lynn. (Image: All rights reserved)

Set in the Tuesday Market Place, six acts will perform each day, with the event running from noon to 6pm on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 August.

Cllr Elizabeth Nockolds, cabinet member for culture, heritage and health, said: “We were blown away by the popularity of this event last year, and hope that this year will be just as successful. It has such a relaxed feel about it

Wisbech Standard: Folk by the Town festival in King's Lynn.Folk by the Town festival in King's Lynn. (Image: All rights reserved)

“We are encouraging people to bring a picnic and settle down for the afternoon to enjoy a real feast of music from some talented local musicians and singers.”

Adrian Tebbutt, who organises the event on behalf of the council, said: “The hardest part of organising this years event was choosing who wouldn’t be appearing as I have had so many requests from artists wanting to take part.

Wisbech Standard: Folk by the Town festival in King's Lynn.Folk by the Town festival in King's Lynn. (Image: All rights reserved)

“I think we have a good range of different types of music that will please a broad audience. There is a strong tradition of folk and acoustic music in the area so it’s great to be able to showcase the talent in this way.”

Local folk band, The Fried Pirates, fresh from playing festivals around East Anglia, will open the event with an up-tempo Americana set to warm people up. They will be followed by the fabulous Cathy Martini who will perform her own original material. Cathy was originally from King’s Lynn but is now living in Oregon.

Two Coats Colder are next up with a melodic and laid-back mix of traditional folk songs. They have been making quite a name for themselves on the folk festival scene, performing at both the Ely and Cambridge festivals and like nothing more than to get people singing along with them.

The Tildens and Anto Morra are both making a welcome return after last year’s success. The Tilden’s describe themselves as a rock band in a tea cup or a folk band in a whiskey bottle performing roots, Americana, country blues and everything in between. Anto, a larger than life character who refers to himself as a London Irish PunkFolker, has been involved in numerous collaborations and has written and recorded a wealth of material. He has performed at Glastonbury and Cambridge’s Strawberry Fair.

Headlining on Saturday are the Macarnos - Steven Underhill, Scott Good and Alex Beckhelling. Formed in the spring of 2012 the band has recently released its debut EP ‘Right Way Up’. Five original songs in an upbeat acoustic folk country pop style. The guys play all of the instruments, swapping around guitars, bass, cajon, and share lead vocals and harmonies. They were extremely popular with last year’s Folk in the Town audience.

On Sunday Yve Mary Barwood will kick things off at noon. A much-talked-about local artist, she has just released her new album. Yve is renowned for her clear vocals and folk/blues style.

The Boxwood Chessmen are four very experienced folk musicians who come together to create something very special. In the summer of 2016 a scratch band was formed for a one off event and out of the chrysalis of simple necessity, emerged a joyous mix of retro, Americana, jazz, folk and whatever else took their fancy on the day , giving rise to a style which has become known to the band as “gloriana”.

Vic Allen, a Norwich-based singer song writer, with a love of country music, has just released her debut EP and will be performing some of her favourite, self-penned songs.

The Ludlam Pikes are a folk, acoustic roots and Americana four-piece band based along the Suffolk / Norfolk border. Playing a lively and engaging mix of originals and covers, their powerful songs feature guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, whistle, bass and stomp alongside strong vocals and harmonies. The band has become very popular along the Waveney Valley and beyond by serving up dark and mysterious ballads alongside rhythmic, foot tapping delights.

Blakeney Old Wild Rovers have been singing and playing Shanties, Sea Songs & other material sin 1999, with the main purpose of raising money for local charities & good causes. To date they have raised over £220,000. They appear at Shanty, Maritime & other festivals around the UK, as well as performing “one-off” concerts.

The Fried Pirates return on Sunday to close the festival with an augmented lineup and a more traditional folk set, but again with the Pirates’ up-tempo treatments.

Visit www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/folkinthetown for more information.