ROMSEY is rocking to the sounds of the town’s free music festival.
A feast of entertainment is underway at today's musical extravaganza which kicked off just before 11am when mayor Cllr Dorothy Baverstock officially opened the Beggars Fair.
Thousands of fans are flocking to the highly popular event.
Beggars Fair chairman, Delsia Bartlett, said this year’s show has a wide-range of acts that would appeal to young and old alike.
About 60 acts will be taking part in the day’s fun-packed entertainment.
Included in the line-up are soul, folk and jazz performers along with Morris dancing, Appalachian dancing, jugglers, and a Punch and Judy show Mrs Bartlett said: “We are all ready.
"We’ve got plenty of entertainment for everyone and we want people to enjoy themselves. We just need good weather now. ”
Acts will be taking part at around 20 venues across the town including the main stage in the Cornmarket, the Market Place, Abbey Approach, Romsey War Memorial Park, King John’s House, Bradbeers courtyard, the White Horse Hotel car park and various pubs.
There is a wide mix of street entertainment including the Showcase Drumming Academy beating away in the Cornmarket at 10.45am.
Music also includes pop, soul, folk, and jazz musicians performing all over the town.
This includes rhythm and blues band Ken Wood and the Mixers who are regulars at the annual musical festival, Greatbridge Riverside Band – a four piece semi acoustic group playing jazz, blues, folk and 1930s ballads, and the Fedora Café quartet singing period and contemporary songs.
Another Beggars Fair regular band is Atlantico an eight piece Latin dance orchestra and singer Ben Goddard who is always popular with the audience.
Other performers in the impressive line-up include Beggars Fair regulars, Romsey-based folk band Innominata which has been performing in the area for more than 30 years, Hand to Mouth Theatre’s Martin Bridle and Su Eaton with their rag-bag puppet show, Contraband with a mix of contemporary and traditional songs and the band Uncle Tom’s Cobbleys who cater for a wide range of music tastes.
Singer-songwriter, Tom Viney, who lives in Romsey and made his debut at the Beggars Fair in 2013, is back again and this year he will be performing on the main stage. When he first appeared at the Beggars Fair he was an instant hit singing his own love songs.
The Southampton-based Soulcatchers, an eight piece band, will be performing a selection of soul, motown and funk numbers. And Saxofony a saxophone quartet will be playing classical favourites and pop arrangements.
Beggars Fair programmes cost £2 and are available from Romsey Tourist information centre in Church Street.
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