AS REVELLERS flocked to Stroud’s 20th Fringe Festival at the weekend, the SNJ looks back to the launch of the popular event in 1996.

Businesses, musicians and the financial backing of Stroud District and Town Council helped launch the first three-day festival which included music, dancing and theatre.

John Sheppard, the festival’s artistic director, hoped the event would appeal to people of all ages.

He said: “We want to make Stroud part of the circuit of folk festivals which go on around the country, hopefully making this event an annual occurrence.

“We want to attract people from far and wide so they can witness and experience the delight of the Five Valleys.”

Thousands descended on the town to enjoy the festival which was one of the biggest events to hit Stroud in years.

Dancers, jugglers, buskers and drummers filled the streets, halls, venues and pubs all weekend as the town turned into one big party.

The festival was kicked off at the Sub Rooms forecourt on the Friday evening as the Roughshod Cloggers got the crowd in the mood.

Down by the bus station nearly 500 revellers turned their hand to line dancing, coming close to breaking a British record.

Festival organiser Terry Trimmer said the festival went extremely well.

“It was a little disappointing not to break the line dancing world record,” he joked.

“But we broke the record for the most people dancing in a bus station.”