Sidmouth Folk Festival: Act now before the last of the Early Bird tickets go

Organisers of the 66th annual Sidmouth Folk Festival are making a song and dance about the exciting eclectic programme lined up for this summer's best Devon seaside party, and music lovers are snapping up special deals to witness it all.

Sidmouth features everything from high-profile concert headliners and visiting artists from across the world to grassroots street performers, with a wealth of informative workshops, energetic ceilidhs and absorbing entertainment for all ages.

Super Early Bird tickets offering the option to delve into everything this nine-day musical celebration – July 31 to August 7 – has to offer have been flying out the box office and there's a limited time left to grab a serious bargain.

Pre-festival specials with Fisherman's Friends (July 31, afternoon) and Steeleye Span (July 30, evening) are also selling very fast.

All in One Tickets offer the greatest flexibility and the very best value, including making the most of the amazing Ham headline evening shows including Eddi Reader, Show of Hands, Eliza Carthy Restitute Live, Jon Boden & The Remnant Kings and Home Service.

If roots are your scene the 2020 line-up included Peatbog Faeries, Edward II, Demon Barbers XL, Talisk, Centralbal, Jason Smith's Mabon and a live silent ceilidh to get the Bulverton dance floor jumping! Bulverton-In-One tickets are a good option for those who like to party every night.

The ever-popular Scottish contingent boasts a great roster of young stars, with Feis Rois Ceilidh Trail joining Talisk, Mairearad & Anna, Brighde Chaimbeul, Rachel Hair and Fara.

And from Ireland there's a very rare UK appearance of legends Jackie Daly and Matt Cranitch, alongside award-winning singer Daoiri Farrell.

This year's international line-up is particularly strong with the amazing Yves Lambert Trio from Quebec; Local Honeys from the Appalachians; The East Pointers from Prince Edward Island, Canada; Centralbal from France; Teilhard Frost from Canada's east coast, De Små Grå from Denmark, Dan Keding from Illinois, as well as UK-based diaspora traditions with amazing Turkish singer Olcay Bayir and Bulgarian vocalist Eugenia Georgieva.

Folk dance returns with the splendid Music Room at Sidholme Hotel as a key venue.

Highlights include English Dance with Brooke Friendly, the return of Scottish Country Dance, the Playford Ball, a look at Forgotten Social Dances, plenty of squares and contras with Rhodri Davies and The Magnificent Seven.

Hundreds of workshops include Folkulele, Bhangra, Hamboning, Jazz Dance as well as all the regular favourites. And there's a wealth of quirky festive fun including the return of Wynndebagge, marking 25 years of minstrelsy, and the wondrously silly Sidmouth Horse Trials with hobby horses and beasts of burden competing in a number of equestrian challenges for the coveted Aardman Award.

New events are being added all the time, such as Field and Dyke and Greg Russell and Danny Pedler's great new project at the Manor Pavilion, plus shows from Jez Lowe and Ewan McLennan.

A call has also gone out for volunteers to join the hardworking team that runs the festival, with applications now being accepted online.

Click the red button below for more details and a full breakdown of all the fun being planned.