THIS year's Dartmoor Folk Festival promises a programme of events and activities suitable for the whole family. The main event will include concerts, a ramble on Dartmoor, a ceilidh, folk service, craft displays, dances, a Dartmoor Fayre, music hall, pub sessions and music, song and dance workshops. A rich crop of local and national artists will headline at the 37th annual festival, which will be held at South Zeal. Artists will include the New Rope String Band, Lady Maisery, Greg Russell and Ciaran Algar, winners of the BBC Young Folk Awards 2013 and 2014 Horizon Award, Vicki Swan and Jonny Dyer, The Old Fashioned, Geoff Lakeman, Chalktown with Phil Bassindale and Pete White's Suitcase Circus. The various Morris and dance teams taking part will include, on Saturday, Green Ginger Clog, Shuffle The Deck, Exeter Morris Men and Cogs and Wheels. On the Sunday the teams will include Winkleigh Morris, Tinners Morris and South Zeal Steppers. Hotly-contested competitions include the Dartmoor Broom Dance championships and Dartmoor Stepdance Championships. It was 37 years ago that the festival was founded by the late Bob Cann, who lived in the parish of South Zeal.  He had the dream of a folk event on his doorstep that would help to revive and preserve the traditions of Dartmoor. Mr Cann was awarded the British Empire Medal for his services to folk music, which included founding the festival. It was the traditional music, dance, song and crafts of the area that formed the basis for the first festival and they still remain for the association which runs the festival today. The association includes many descendants of Mr Cann and his wife, Joyce, is president of the association. Since it was founded it has grown so that it can invite some of the best folk artists around, while maintaining its reputation for being a relaxed, friendly and traditional festival. The Dartmoor Fayre, on Saturday, August 9, will be opened at 2.20pm by long-time festival supporter and folk legend, Pete Coe.  Also present will be the Mayor of West Devon, Cllr Christine Marsh. The festival is supported by West Devon Borough Council, Devon Folk, Devon County Council, Willand Folk Dance Club, VIP Marquees and other businesses and individuals. For further details call 01837 840102 or visit http://www.dartmoorfolkfestival.org.uk">www.dartmoorfolkfestival.org.uk