THE 17th Hatherleigh Festival is almost here, and this year's line-up could be the best yet.

The festival, between July 26 and July 29, will provide four days of music, exhibitions, workshops, sports and dance. With the theme of 'gardens', most of the events are free.

Thursday July 26 sees Hatherleigh Silver Band opening the festival with an evening parade, involving children from the primary school and those who have taken part in a flower making workshop.The band will play in the square at 7.30pm.

Later that evening there are two free concerts at 8.30pm. In the Tally Ho!, five-piece semi-acoustic band With Nell and I will perform original material, while in the George, Poisson Rouge will play French and Breton-inspired dance music.

The entertainment continues on Friday July 27 with an evening of free music in the square. The line-up starts with Emma and the Convolutions at 7pm, playing acoustic covers and original material.

Matthew and Me, a band that plays feel-good summer hits, guitarist, singer and songwriter Saxon James, and duo Hot Fiction, consisting of a guitarist and singing drummer, fill out the rest of the evening's line-up in the square.

Meanwhile, in the community centre, Roger and Christine Cleverdon will be joined by Claude and Cecelia Lamon for a varied programme of music for the trumpet, violin and piano from 7.30pm. Tickets to this event cost £6 each.

The town square plays host to a street market on Saturday July 28, with crafts and produce alongside free entertainment and music.

The music continues through the day until 11pm with Josie Lloyd, the Barefoot Bandit, the Monkey Gland Blues Band, Morning Rush, Scholars and the Computers. There will also be a 50-minute mini-musical put on by Rob Pudner and Dexter Newman in the afternoon.

Artists will be exhibiting during the four days in a number of venues across the town. Old Schools will be a sheep-themed venue, and on Saturday July 28 visitors can drop in throughout the day to contribute to a communal piece of art using sustainable dyed fleece.

For sporty types, OCRA will be running two workshops on Friday and the children's centre will be running a mini-olympics session for under 5s. There are a wide number of craft workshops also being run throughout the festival.

The festival comes to a close on Sunday July 29. The day starts with a bird watching walk on the moor at 8am.

From 11am, St John the Baptist Church, Hatherleigh Methodist Church and the Vine Church are holding a combined service in the square, with singing from Hatherleigh Gospel Choir. The gospel choir will perform again at 12.30pm.

The Transitions Theatre Company will perform an open air production of Round and Round the Garden by Alan Ayckbourn outside the community centre from 3pm. Tickets are £7 for adults and £3 for children.

The festival closes with evensong in St John the Baptist Church, with music from Roger Cleverdon and Combined Choirs.

The festival programme is available in most shops in Hatherleigh, and online at http://www.hatherleighfestival.co.uk">www.hatherleighfestival.co.uk

The box office for any event requiring tickets is the Pottery, call 01837 810624.

If you would like to volunteer during the festival weekend, call Susan Read on 01837 810953 or e-mail [email protected]">[email protected]