The Dartmoor Folk Festival is one of the top family-friendly folk events in the South West.

It provides the perfect opportunity to catch bright new folk acts, high-calibre national and local artists and established performers, all in the foothills of Dartmoor.

Festival events and activities are suitable for all ages, and there is a hugely-successful dedicated children's festival run alongside the main event.

The 38th annual festival will take place at South Zeal, near Okehampton, on August 7, 8 and 9.

Artists appearing will include Jez Lowe and The Bad Pennies, Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin, Huw Williams and Maartin Allcock, Alistair Anderson, Jeff Warner (USA), The Dovetail Trio, Liam Robinson Dance Band and Kestor Stringband.

Other artists attending are Johnny Handle, Sid Calderbank, The Dartmoor Pixie Band (Friday and Sunday night), Ramsley Minors and Dave Wills.

Morris and dance teams due to attend are Old Speckled Hen, Ragged and Old, Beetlecrushers, Appakella, Exmoor Border Morris, South Zeal Steppers, Tinners Morris and Cogs and Wheels.

Jez Lowe was a double-nominee at this year's BBC Folk Awards, and the band will be featuring songs from his latest album "The Ballad Beyond", alongside some of his best-known and most covered songs from his earlier repertoire.

Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin were winners of the 2014 BBC Radio Two Folk Award for Best Duo and Alistair Anderson is internationally recognised as the master of the English Concertina.

Children's entertainers will include Rattlebox Theatre, Captain Coconut, Dave Hendy, Nina Fenner, Trepanning Through History and Entertainingly Different.

The packed weekend programme will include concerts, a ramble on Dartmoor, a ceilidh, folk service, craft displays, dances, a Jig Doll competition, a Dartmoor Fayre, music hall, pub sessions and music, song and dance workshops.

Hotly-contested competitions are the Dartmoor Broom Dance championships and Dartmoor Stepdance Championships.

Dartmoor Broom dancing involves dancing with a broom, or rather over a broom, and is for primary school-aged children.

The Dartmoor Step dance sees dancers step on a 15 inch square board showing the different steps to try to outstep the previous dancer, until a final champion is decided upon.  Adult and junior champions are selected.

Classes to teach both broom dancing and step dancing are held during the festival and anyone can take part.

The festival will  also include a duck race, starter melodeon sessions, craft marquee, stalls and refreshments.

For further details, or to enquire about booking tickets, telephone 01837 840102 or visit the website: www.dartmoorfolkfestival.org.uk