OKEHAMPTON'S Art and Music Festival from July 8-16 has been wholeheartedly embraced by local traders, some of whom have agreed to sponsor events.
Businesses have pledged anything from £25 to £500 to ensure the festival will go with a bang, entertain local people and bring visitors to the town.
As the festival gains momentum, more events are being added to the programme which will be available next week. The latest editions are silk painting and Feng Shui workshops in Okehampton Library on July 12 and 14 respectively.
'The festival truly has something for everyone, said Sidney Thompson from Okehampton OK who is one of the co-ordinators. 'From Georgie Fame and Indy folk to tea dances and Feng Shui, not to mention all that jazz.'
The festival was revived last year but is a much larger event in the year 2000. Top rhythm and blues star and 1960s pop sensation Georgie Fame will be headlining the event, and the 'Party in the Park' is being billed as a mini-Glastonbury.
A blend of local, national and international artists has given the festival its theme of 'International Vision' with many styles of music and art to suit all tastes.
A grant of £5,000 from the Villages In Action fund has helped the festival, which aims to put Okehampton on the map, to get off the ground and with sponsorship flowing in organisers are promising something really special.