A NEW three-day music and arts festival is set to welcome hundreds of visitors to the countryside near Newent later this month.

Days In The Sun will make its debut at New Bliss Farm in Rudford from Friday, September 18 to Sunday, September 20.

The independent festival is being held on farmland between Newent and Gloucester and will have a capacity of around 500 people for its inaugural year.

Organisers Caitlin Barrett and Paul Chief O’Neill have put folk and roots music at the centre of the event, alongside dance and other forms of live entertainment.

The festival's main stage will be housed beneath a large circus marquee, meaning performances can continue under cover regardless of the September weather.

Alongside the music, visitors can expect entertainment including Morris sides, Irish dancers, belly dancers and drumming groups.

The line-up includes acts such as Roving Crows and PerKelt, with a mixture of folk, Celtic and roots influences running through the weekend.

New Bliss Farm is at Rudford, just outside Newent, making the event one of the latest additions to the growing programme of independent festivals and live music events held around the Forest and wider Gloucestershire countryside.

The organisers describe Days In The Sun as a folk and roots festival and say considerable work has gone into creating a safe and friendly event.

Camping will be available for those wanting to stay for the weekend, although visitors have to book a camping pass separately to gain access to the camping field.

Campervans can also be accommodated and power is available for those staying in the live-in vehicle area.

The site will include a bar, food outlets, traders, toilets and showers.

Children under five can attend free of charge, although all youngsters must be accompanied by an adult with a ticket.

The event is also dog friendly.

Festival-goers not camping can arrive from 10am each day and must leave the site by midnight, while weekend campers will be able to remain until 2pm on Monday, September 21.

The event's arrival so close to Newent gives Forest residents another festival within easy travelling distance as the summer events season draws towards a close.

Days In The Sun takes place from September 18 to 20 at New Bliss Farm, Rudford, GL2 8DX.

The organisers are aiming to create an alternative to larger festivals, with the limited capacity keeping the event small for its first year.

Its location should make the festival accessible for people travelling from Newent and the northern Forest.

With three days of performances planned, the programme combines festival entertainment with a countryside setting close to the Forest border.

The covered main stage could prove useful if the late summer weather turns, while camping facilities mean visitors can make a weekend of the event.

For those attending for a day, the site will remain open into the evening before non-campers leave at midnight.

The festival adds another event to September's calendar after a summer of shows, fairs and community events across the area.