DISCOUNTS of up to �20 a ticket are being offered to people buying season tickets for this year s Sidmouth FolkWeek before the end of March.

DISCOUNTS of up to �20 a ticket are being offered to people buying season tickets for this year's Sidmouth FolkWeek before the end of March.

Festival lovers could save up to �140 by buying nine full week season tickets for this year's event from Friday, July 31 to Friday, August 7, by getting a tenth free.

Evening concerts at the Ham Marquee will feature Lau, Waterson, Carthy, the Jim Moray Band, Riccardo Tesi and Banditaliana.

The amazing Spooky Men, Oysterband, Demon Barber Road Show and Steve Knightly & Friends complete the line up there.

Afternoon concerts in the Ham feature a mix of up-and-coming young stars and established performers such as Australian songwriter Eric Bogle, Qu(b(cois musicians Genticorum, fiery gypsy traditions from Paprika Balkanicus and the inventive Spiers and Boden.

Making the most of the Ham, lunchtime sessions offer the chance to join Saul Rose and Simon Care for an informal chat and playing or hear new songs from Oysterband's John Jones.

Jon Boden will host a traditional concert at the Manor Pavilion Theatre with Lark Rise Band and an evening of Americana featuring the New Deal String Band.

There will also be concerts at the Bedford Hotel, Arts Centre, Sidmouth Rugby Club and Woodlands Hotel.

Meanwhile, if your idea of a concert is high-energy, on your feet style, then Big Gigs @ Bulverton will feature Scottish folk rockers Peatbog Faeries, gothic Eastern European punk folk group The Destroyers, and charismatic Indian drumming from The Dhol Foundation, to name but three.

Sidmouth FolkWeek is not just about watching, it is about participating too, such as in the ceilidhs in Blackmore Gardens, Anchor Garden and Late Night Extra.

There will be a host of ceilidh bands, including Whapweasel, Hekety, Outlandish Nights, Oyster Ceilidh Band and Glorystrokes.

New social dance coordinator Andrew Swaine is assembling a rich variety of bands, such as Vertical Expression, Pendragon and 3D.

Dance workshops will offer the usual mix from display teams, including Barefoot Flamenco, an innovative dance fusion created by Val(rie Romanin.

Young folk lovers will have their usual events under the banner Young Sidmouth, at Blackmore Gardens.

The Little Folk Tent for under sevens will offer music and craft sessions, and new this year will be a series of multi arts workshops, combining storytelling, singing, playing, acting and dancing.

Join the band will be among workshops for seven to 10 and 11-15 year-olds for an acoustic instrument, while there will be singing workshops to stretch those vocal chords.

Also new will be a Young Folk evening event, combining music and youth club for unaccompanied 11-15 year-olds to sing, play or chill out.

There will also be daily sessions led by festival artists and a youth choir run by Stream of Sound.