A FOUR-DAY festival of culture will come to Ellesmere Port when the ninth annual Wirral Folk on the Coast Festival starts this week.

Scottish singer Dougie MacLean is among 200 entertainers who will perform at the music, dance, arts and poetry extravaganza which will be held at Whitby Sports and Social Club from Thursday, June 6-Sunday, June 9.

It is the second year the event will be held in Ellesmere Port, following years of success in Bromborough, and there is something for everyone.

Acoustic roots and folk duo Show of Hands, who have performed at the Royal Albert Hall on a number of occasions, will be one of the headliners on one of the five main stage concerts across the three days.

And on the Saturday, popular North-East folk singers The Young’Uns will top the bill, with other performances including Celtic super group Jamie Smith’s Mabon and a late night concert from Blackpool band Blue Pig Orchestra, whose set list includes tracks by The Rolling Stones, Mamas and Papas, The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac.

The concert concludes on Sunday with shows from Liverpool born singer/songwriter Steve Tilston and BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards winner Lucy Ward who will join folk icon Dougie MacLean for a special performance.

As well as the hundreds of acts that will feature at the festival, there will also be a number of fringe events taking place, as well as singalong sessions, dance displays, a ceilidh dance display and an indoor craft fair.

Training workshops in singing, how to play acoustic guitar, bodhran, whistle and ukulele, will be available, as well as for flamenco, Arabic, Appalachian and belly dancing.

Festival directors John and Angela Owen said they were excited to be bringing the event back to Ellesmere Port.

“We experienced a very successful festival last year despite the appalling stormy weather and are delighted that once again the management at Whitby Sports and Social Club have been able to accommodate us for what promises to be a wonderful weekend of family entertainment.”

DAY and weekend tickets are available from the Festival Box Office on 0151 678 9902 or via the festival website www.wirralfolkonthecoast.com. Concession rates are available for children.

Camping on-site for the whole weekend is available to weekend ticket holders at a nominal charge.