A PACKED programme of music, art and entertainment is in store for residents and visitors of a Dartmoor village this month.

Throwleigh Festival will take place over the last weekend in April and promises a huge variety of activities to enjoy, which really will appeal to just about everyone.

The festival, the brainchild of Throwleigh resident Dawn Hatton, begins on Saturday April 25 with exhibitions, workshops, and music at venues around the village.

Caya Mills, spokesperson for the festival organisers, said: 'It's going to be a very big event for us and is aimed at our local community and people from further afield.

'So much work has gone into it, and there are so many venues to visit.

'It's really a celebration of creativity within our parish and within Gidleigh parish.'

During the weekend there will be creative art exhibitions running concurrently in the church and the village hall, with items for sale available.

Folk charity Wren Music is running a children's workshop throughout the Saturday, culminating in a concert, which takes place at the Providence Chapel.

The gardens at Coombe Cottage in Providence will be open to the public all weekend and at Tolmen, next to St Mary's Church, there will be a display of vintage cars on the Saturday.

Complementary therapy sessions are taking place throughout the weekend at Throwleigh House and on the Saturday, there will be a bell ringing competition in the village centre.

A festival concert takes place in the church on the Saturday night.

Caya said: 'We've got a really wide range of performers with some really good acts.

'Some are fairly well known, some are just local people, for example, there's a local band of young people, so there's something for everyone.'

On the Sunday there is a farming display at Barton Farm, including a demonstration and talks, plus Tai Chi and qigong at the Ladyemede marquee.

During the morning there will be a recital by the Batignano Trio at the Providence Chapel, Morris dancing at the village cross at lunchtime and poetry and prose readings with early music during the afternoon in the church, followed by a performance of Renaissance music.

Throughout the weekend there will be refreshments available at the village hall. The final event of the weekend is choral evensong at the church at 6.30pm.

Caya said: 'The festival really seems to have brought people together. So many connections have been made, between people who didn't know each other before, or didn't know what they did, and there are some really exciting pieces of work.

'It's also been nice the way that people who didn't formerly get involved in the village, have done so.

'It's been really interesting and we think there really will be something for everyone.'

Throwleigh Festival has been supported by a grant from the National Lottery's Awards for All programme and Dartmoor National Park Authority.