ONE of Sidmouth FolkWeek s main venues will welcome a whole host of award-winning talent at this year s festival.

ONE of Sidmouth FolkWeek's main venues will welcome a whole host of award-winning talent at this year's festival.

The Bulverton Marquee, which is famous for its lively and high energy events, will host Bellowhead, the winners of several BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

The 11-piece group featured as the main band at the BBC Proms Folk Day in 2008 and they also hosted a sea-faring themed New Year's Eve party on London's Southbank last year.

A real scoop for FolkWeek is the reunion concert of Cordelia's Dad, the American-based punk-tinged band, led by fiddle player Tim Eriksen.

Cordelia's Dad was much sought after in the 1990s but later disbanded and this reunion gig is their only appearance in the UK.

Celtic music comes from 'acid-croft' band Shooglenifty as well as Diamh, which combines Scottish, Irish and Cape Breton traditional music.

Ace Irish Folk musician Michael McGoldrick brings his Trad Collective to the Bulverton Marquee and the highly popular Silent Disco is being extended this year with the addition of a Christmas-themed night and Silent Ceilidh.

The final night of the festival sees Scottish and Latin American fusion band Salsa Celtica take to the stage.

Following each of the evening Festival Clubhouse events, the Late Night Extra takes place where the country's top ceilidh bands lead the dancers in an energetic ending to the day's events.

Among the bands featured are The Committee Band, Bedlam, All Blacked Up and Tickled Pink in their 21st birthday year. Blowzabella will bring their special Euro-sounds to the event.

Sidmouth FolkWeek organisers also announced this week that Whimple brewer O'Hanlon's Brewery, is to become the festival's first official brewery sponsor.

Festival director, John Braithwaite, said: "Wherever possible, we want to source our supplies from local businesses."

* Sidmouth FolkWeek runs from July 30 to August 6 and a Taster Programme is available from www.sidmouthfolkweek.co.uk. Tickets for all the Bulverton events (except Bellowhead) are available in advance from the Sidmouth Tourist Information Centre on (01395) 578627 or the festival website. To finds out about sponsoring the festival email adverts@sidmouthfolkweek.co.uk