IT’S that time of year again when lovers of music, comedy, drama and the arts descend on Wyre Forest for the annual Bewdley Festival.

This year marks the 28th anniversary of Bewdley Festival which will bring its traditional mix of local talent, regional celebrities and national and international stars of stage, screen and concert halls, all packed into an eventful ten days and all delivered entirely by volunteers.

The festival kicks off on Friday (October 9) with British music legend, Leo Sayer’s sold out performance as part of a series of rare and much-anticipated shows. Visiting from Australia, Grammy award-winning Leo comes to Bewdley with his Restless Years Tour.

Other performances sold out this year include a performance by Toyah Wilcox, a return visit from Lesley Smith as Nell Gwynne, the final of three performances of the Ballad of St Kenelm, AD 821 by renowned composer Andrew Downes, comedy with Dr Phil Hammond and an annual lecture from Max Keen.

The festival will close with a lecture on King John and a party night with the Bootleg Blues Brothers on Saturday, October 17, and a morning service at St Anne’s Church on the Sunday (October 18).

Tickets are still available for a number of performances over the ten-day festival, including Mari Wilson’s Ready Steady Girls show, a violin recital by Alexander Sitkovetsky accompanied by pianist Wu Qian, Bewdley Youth Festival Showcase, food and restaurant critic Jay Rayner’s My Dining Hell and a visit from Antiques Roadshow favourites Hilary Kay and Paul Atterbury.

Dave Collins, publicity officer for the Festival, said: “Everything is lined up for yet another great Bewdley Festival.

“Two new initiatives for this year’s Festival have already proved a great success – the Art on Screen virtual visit to the Van Gogh Museum has sold out and last week’s launch of Community Arts Project, the Duck House Trail, proved to be an overwhelming success.

“Visitors to the town’s Harvest Fair weekend were enthralled, excited and delighted with the results of what is probably the largest visual arts project in the history of Bewdley Festival. People are already asking ‘what will be next year’s theme?’

“The Festival’s traditional mix of music, comedy, history, science and art have all proven popular and although many events are sold out, there are still tickets available for some events – an eclectic mix from Mari Wilson’s great Saturday night show, Jay Rayner’s mid-week tales of bad restaurants and the afternoon stories behind Mr Punch and the role of Pigeons in Wartime.”

Other aspects of the Festival throughout October include Bewdley Museum’s Wyre Forest Gallery exhibition ‘A Breath of Fresh Air’ showcasing the work of Shropshire artist Penelope Timmis and the Duck House Trail in Jubilee Gardens will display the results of a Community Arts Project. In May, wooden Duck Houses were distributed throughout schools, community groups and local businesses for themed decorations.

Full details of the line-up for the 28th Bewdley Festival is available at bewdleyfestival.org.uk.

Tickets for the remaining events are available from Worcester Live on 01905 611427 or in person at Bewdley Tourist Information Centre, in Load Street.