A FANTASTIC blend of folk music and dance was enjoyed by record crowds at the Dartmoor Folk Festival last weekend.
The three day festival ? now in its 26th year ? took place in venues around the village of South Zeal.
Many top folk acts were in South Zeal to perform between Friday and Sunday, including veteran folk singer Cyril Tawney, Patterson Jordan and Dipper, the Odra Folk Choir from Ostrava in the Czech Republic, Token Women, Ticklish Allsorts and the Dartmoor Pixie Band.
There were also a host of Morris and dance teams from across the country demonstrating their fancy footwork throughout the weekend.
Other highlights included the Dartmoor Broom Dance Championships, Dartmoor Step Dance Championships, a Dartmoor Fayre, folk workshops and children?s entertainment.
Winner of the broom dance event was seven-year-old Isobel Weaver of Belstone, who had been taught to dance at a workshop a few months before at South Tawton Primary School.
The winner of the adult step dance competition, in which contestants dance on a 15-inch square was Alice Jones, of Ripponden in West Yorkshire.
She took up step dancing three years ago after taking part in a workshop at the festival.
The junior step dance winner was ten-year-old Mary Huxham, of Starcross, Exeter.
A special presentation was made to Mark and Sarah Bazeley of South Zeal by the Devon Folk committee for their contribution to folk music and dance and for their key role in helping to organise the festival each year.
The festival was officially opened by television gardener Terry Underhill.
Also among those attending was Mayor of West Devon Cllr Peter Hill and chairman of Dartmoor National Park, county councillor Bill Cann, who was related to the founder of the festival.
The Dartmoor Folk Festival was founded in the late 1970s by local musician, Bob Cann.
He had the idea to start his own folk festival to help revive and preserve the traditions of Dartmoor, and in particular, the traditional live music, dance, song and crafts of the area. Mr Cann received the British Empire Medal for his services to folk music.
Mr Cann died more than ten years ago, but his inspiration is continued by his family and friends and the event has grown to become a major event in the folk calendar.
Festival press officer Alan Quick, said: ?The event is one of the highlights in West Devon each year. People meet up with old friends and there is a real sense of community involvement.
?I just don?t know how the festival keeps improving, but it just does.?