FOLK fans will be floating on air as an extra four days of music have been added to this year’s Leigh Folk Festival.

The largest free musical event of its kind in the country – now in its 18th year – starts on Sunday and runs until June 28.

The first three nights of the nationally-acclaimed festival will consist of club nights featuring a number of artists, including heavy western folkster Phillious Williams and folk singer Wild Willy Barrett, and his backing band the Sleeping Dogz.

Music organiser Paul Collier says the new eight-day schedule is a sign of how the festival has progressed over the years.

“A lot of local clubs expressed an interest in being involved,” he says. “We had such a huge programme, so we extended the time.

“We wanted everyone to be a part of it – inclusivity is one of the buzz words of this year.”

Although the climatic final weekend of the event pits itself against Glastonbury, organisers are keen to emphasize the differences between the two.

“I don’t think we pretend to rival the big festivals in the number of bands they have and the budget those festivals command,” admits Paul.

“But we do attract some quite big names, at least from the folk world.

“Keeping it as a free festival, with open access to all, makes it what it is and different to anyone else.”

Last year’s festival attracted an estimated 10,000 music fans, and this year hopes to bring in even more punters over the extra days.

Visitors can expect the broadest definition of folk, from blues and world music, to jazz and country styles.

The Salvation Army Band kick off the first gig at the New Road Methodist Church, in New Road, Leigh, at 3pm on Sunday, which is followed by Phillious Williams, Phil Burdett, Cusack and Tom Burgess at the Railway Hotel, in Clifftown Road, Southend, at 8pm.

Singers and musicians are invited to perform at the Yardarm Session, at the Trinity Methodist Church, in Argyll Road, Westcliff, at 7.45pm, on Monday.

Wild Willy Barrett and the Sleeping Dogz take to the stage of the Anchor Folk Club, in the Ship, New Road, Leigh, from 8pm on Tuesday.

For a full list of acts from Wednesday to Sunday, check out the leisure section in next Wednesday’s Echo.