THE annual festival of music of almost every genre at the Luttrell Arms Hotel, Dunster, takes place next weekend (August 14-16).

And there is no need for tent or wellies as the whole festival can be enjoyed from the comfort of the bar stool – and admission is free.

It starts next Friday and ends with an open mic on Sunday, August 16, and features live performances all weekend by much acclaimed performers in Latin American, Irish folk, swing, country, jazz and rock ‘n’ roll.

Setting the ball rolling at 6pm on Friday are Brian and Gwyneth, founder members of the country tinged folk rock band Cross Border, presenting an acoustic set of classic and contemporary covers.

At 7.15pm singer songwriter Bob Gallie will be making his third­ appearance at the Luttrell Arms, returning by popular demand, before Latin American/Brazilian influenced trio Bossa Beleza bring their smooth ‘bossa nova’ style to the evening at 8.30pm.

Finally on Friday, from 9.45pm to10.45pm guitar/mandolin duo Don and Mark will be performing popular Irish ‘60s and ‘70s songs.

Saturday kicks off at 5.30pm with guitarist Dave McQuater performing jazz classics in his laid- back style. At 6.45pm ‘Dynamic’ Dave Buckley and ‘Ramblin’ Steve Sutherland, otherwise known as The Beverley Brothers, will be playing rock ‘n’ roll classic songs and instrumentals from the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s.

Café swing band The Night Owls play standard and more obscure songs of the 1920s and ‘30s from 8pm, then Perry Wood and the Legends finish the evening from 9.45pm to 10.45pm. Perry, a great favourite on the ‘open mic’ scene, will be joined by Brian Howe on drums and Simon Cook on bass.

The finale open mic session is from 2pm on Sunday.