A WEEK of music, comedy, drama and more kicks off in Nailsworth this weekend for the town's 31st annual festival.

Festival Saturday sees free entertainment throughout the town, including Punch and Judy and the Panache Steel Band in Nailsworth's Mortimer Gardens from 10am to 3pm, and the popular duck race in the stream.

In the evening, jazz singer Jacqui Dankworth will give a concert in the Carol Embrey Suite, at Forest Green Rovers FC at 7.30pm.

The festival programme continues until May 25, and includes a performance from acclaimed young classical violinist Tamsin Waley-Cohen and the Honeymead Ensemble, and a set from folk singer songwriter John Smith. To complete the musical line up, the Aberdeen Fellowship Gospel Choir will be performing in St George’s Church and the Berlin Guitar Ensemble will be in concert in Nailsworth Town Hall. On the literary side, local author MC Beaton will be giving a talk and Bristol Old Vic Theatre School will perform Sauce for the Goose by George Feydeau. Finally, slapstick clowning will be provided by Le Navet Bête in their show Once Upon a Time in a Western.

Tickets are available via: www.nailsworthfestival.org.uk or from the Town Information Centre, Old Market, Nailsworth.