Organisers of the Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival have released the dates for this year's event.

The event, which attracts thousands of people every year, will take place over the weekend of 18th - 21st June.

Last year the event attracted record crowds after moving to the all-new location at Kinderton Lodge Farm, off Holmes Chapel Road from the town centre.

And organisers said last year the decision was the best one they had have ever made as it allows the event to grow and get bigger and better than ever before.

The event has been running for over 30 years and highlights Middlewich's industrial heritage in which canal boats were used to move coal and other raw materials in the town for the production of salt and then move the salt out of town.

So popular is it that the festival that it was declared among the top three folk festivals in England by Guardian Online in 2008.

Claire Armstrong took charge of the event three years ago and now has a team of volunteers and other organisers who help get the event off the ground.

She said previously: "It was very well attended and the move to a farm was definitely the best decision to make. Now it really feels like a festival. There was a great atmosphere.

"The location is surrounded by fields and there's plenty of space for everyone to enjoy themselves. We're looking at introducing all kinds of things like glamping.

"We had a vision to get it to grow and we've achieved that. Stallholders book in year after year. It's so popular. We have people coming from all over the country - Bristol, Ireland, Yorkshire and Cornwall.

"It's such a big event that people start travelling here a few days before. Next year we may have a well-being area with health food.

A fairground at last year's event proved popular as did a DJ event on Thursday evening.

Did you enjoy last year's festival? What would you like to see at this year's event?

Would you like to know more about Sandbach?

Free from clickbait, pop-up ads and unwanted surveys, Sandbach Nub News is a quality online newspaper for our town.

Please consider following Sandbach Nub News on Facebook  or X (Twitter)

We also have a weekly newsletter with the TOP FIVE stories of the week - sign up here