MORE than 600 people packed Carhampton’s historic Butchers Arms pub and surrounds on Saturday (September 19) for West Somerset’s first music festival aimed at giving amateur grassroots players the chance to perform at a major event.

Cramptonbury Musicians’ Festival was held on five stages with more than 40 groups and solo performers strutting their stuff for 12 hours of music ranging, from sambas and folk to sea shanties and heavy rock.

Car parks were full to capacity throughout the day and delighted fans went online to praise the event as ‘just magic’, ‘amazing’, and ‘absolutely fabulous’.

Two players in the popular folk group Fitzwarren Collective, who performed in the Cramptonbury festival's Reading Room. PHOTO: George Ody.Cramptonbury Musicians' Festival goers take a break outside the Orchard Stage. PHOTO: Helen Moore.Mary and the Faeries singing on the Home Stage at the Cramptonbury Festival. PHOTO: Mandy Parker Nuhob.Cramptonbury Festival welcomed Seejay, seen performing in the Reading Room. PHOTO: George Ody.The Ecru Stretch band entertain at Cramptonbury on the Orchard Stage. PHOTO: Mandy Parker Nuhob.

Two players in the popular folk group Fitzwarren Collective, who performed in the Cramptonbury festival's Reading Room. PHOTO: George Ody.

Cramptonbury Musicians' Festival goers take a break outside the Orchard Stage. PHOTO: Helen Moore.

Mary and the Faeries singing on the Home Stage at the Cramptonbury Festival. PHOTO: Mandy Parker Nuhob.

Cramptonbury Festival welcomed Seejay, seen performing in the Reading Room. PHOTO: George Ody.

The Ecru Stretch band entertain at Cramptonbury on the Orchard Stage. PHOTO: Mandy Parker Nuhob.

One post said: “Beautifully organised, incredible sound, and surrounded by the most brilliant local talent.

“This festival is really something special.”

Performers were happy to play for nothing, and admittance was free apart from money raised for the RNLI.

There was also a mini beer and cider festival.

Pub owner Nick Moores said: “It was a fantastic day and the way everything came together was incredible.

“A big thank you to everybody who came, performed, and helped”.

Mr Moores said the volunteers were ‘amazing’ and ‘people just stepped in for two, four, six hours to help’.

Organiser Richard Neal described the performances as ‘brilliant’ and was delighted with the way the pioneering venture had gone.

Mr Neal said: “My favourite sight at the festival was little groups of people sitting on the grass chatting and listening to the bands, just so relaxed.”

Another spokesperson for the event said: “West Somerset has an amazing amateur music scene of a remarkably high standard.

“Many of the musicians have been lifelong players and others are just starting.

“Either way, they rarely get the opportunity to play to a large crowd.”

The recently reopened Butchers Arms provided all the facilities for the festival, and Hive Studios, of Old Cleeve, supplied the sound systems free of charge.