SOME of the best folk performers from England and further afield will come to Okehampton later this month for the 15th Baring-Gould Folk Weekend.

The festival, held at venues around the town from October 25 to October 27, keeps alive the spirit of Lewtrenchard parson the Rev Sabine Baring-Gould, who lived from 1834 to 1924. He collected hundreds of folk songs from Devon and Cornwall and wrote novels, poems and hymns — most famously, Onward Christian Soldiers.

The event mixes music, song and dance, and is organised by Wren Music, which this year celebrates its 30th anniversary. To mark the milestone, the Wren Band will be performing some of their favourite songs from the past three decades at the festival's opening concert.

Wren artistic director Marilyn Tucker and musical director Paul Wilson have been busy selecting the set-list. 'Paul and I are having a great time reminiscing about the past 30 years and we'll put some of these memories into the opening concert,' said Marilyn.

Among those appearing at the festival are US folk legend and Wren patron Peggy Seeger, and multi-instrumentalist Phil Beer.

Peggy, 78, comes from a famous American folk dynasty, which includes her mother, Ruth Crawford Seeger, her father, Charles Seeger, her brother, Mike Seeger, and her half-brother, Pete Seeger — Pete is regarded as the inspiration behind the American folk music revival and was described by Bob Dylan as 'a saint'.

Phil, from popular folk act Show of Hands, is hosting an informal chat with musical interludes on Sunday, October 27.

Marilyn Tucker said: 'Phil is a patron of the Baring-Gould Folk Weekend, so it's lovely that he is able to appear at the festival.'

Phil and Show of Hands partner Steve Knightley have just released their new studio CD, Wake the Union. The Devon-based duo are past Best Duo and Best Original Song winners at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

The Baring-Gould line-up also includes Icelandic duo Funi, Vicky Swan and Jonny Dyer, Julie Murphy, Bill Crawford, Bill Murray, Malcolm Woods, Martin and Shan Graebe, and Wren's own musicians.

'There will be lots to join in with as well as being able to sit back and listen, and not all music,' said Marilyn. 'We try as much as we can to be a real West Country autumn festival, with the fun conker competition and the festival feast, which is like an old fashioned harvest supper.'

To mark Wren's 30th anniversary, there is a special Festival Weekend ticket of just £30. For Okehampton residents there is also a group discount on weekend tickets — buy three and get one free. For details of events and prices, visit http://www.baring-gould.co.uk">www.baring-gould.co.uk or http://www.wrenmusic.co.uk">www.wrenmusic.co.uk