THE Haslemere Fringe Festival was declared another roaring success with three days of music, dance, comedy, children’s entertainment and performance poetry just some of the entertainment on offer for the whole family over last weekend.

Young talent from across the town combined with nationally known names like Chas and Dave and From The Jam to draw more than 7,000 people to the three stages and festival village set up on Lion Green. And with locally produced food and drink feeding the crowds there was a packed programme for all ages.

A new innovation at this year’s festival was a range of music workshops by The Music Works, ukelele from Good Gracious Music and Sussex Steel on steelpan, who also added a sunny Caribbean flavour as the sun beat down on Sunday’s revellers.

Opening the festival on Friday evening, Haslemere Thespians reprised the popular Vagina Monologues, while on Saturday the theatre group Don’t Go Into The Cellar presented The Singular Exploits of Sherlock Holmes.

Elsewhere young people were represented by dance groups including Haslemere Performing Arts, Bohunt Dance, Street Nation, Rhythmic collision and Just Jhoon Bollywood, and local schools competed in a head-to-head battle to win the Haslemere Fringe Festival Poetry Cup.

Molly Moocow and The Man in the Moon kept the youngest visitors entertained in the kids tent, along with music and movement sessions, arts and crafts, face painting and a traditional Punch and Judy show with Professor Dill.

Festival chairman Ken Griffiths said: “We are proud to say we are a family friendly festival and it was great to see so many parents and children enjoying all that we had to offer, from music, comedy, poetry, dance, storytelling, puppetry, to even a strong man competition.

“There was literally something for everyone.”

A fun fair big wheel and giant inflatable slide kept the fun going in one corner of the green, while around the site an array of stalls catered for all tastes with food from a hog roast, to ice cream and homemade cakes, a newly launched Haslemere cheese from the Gimblett Cheese Co. and to satisfy thirsts, a Pimm’s tent alongside a beer tent serving real ale. There was even a break-out zone where tennis fans could watch action from Wimbledon.

Mr Griffiths added: “Thank you to the 130 plus volunteers who worked with us not only over the weekend but also over the three days of setting the site up and then finally clearing it down.

“Lion Green is a valuable community space and it was absolutely fantastic to see so many people enjoying it. We also had assistance in funding from over 30 local businesses and grant-funding bodies whose valuable support enabled us to keep ticket prices to the bare minimum.”