THE focus of the UK folk music scene will be on Cheltenham this weekend when the 15th annual Cheltenham Folk Festival takes place.

The festival takes place from today, Friday February 11 - Sunday, February 13 and Cheltenham Town Hall is the hub for this indoor festival, although some of the music, dance and atmosphere spills out into other venues and on to the streets.

John Boden and the Remnant Kings open the festival tonight and duo Nancy Kerr and James Fagan make a return visit to the festival to give a Saturday evening concert. The Askew Sisters bring their brand of energetic English folk to the festival and there is a performance from the award-winning singer and fiddle player Jackie Oates.

Traditional Irish instrumental band Lunasa take to the stage on Sunday and Kathryn Roberts and Sean lakeman create a folk club atmosphere with their traditional songs.

Other highlights include The Yetties making their last ever festival appearance and the Old Swan Band returning to their Cheltenham roots to play at Festival Dance on the Saturday and launch their new album.

The Market Place at Cheltenham Town Hall will have stalls selling everything from CDs to arts and crafts and musical instruments and there will be a festival cafe in the town hall and a real ale bar.

There will be energetic displays from 18 Morris sides and dance teams from all over the country taking the festival on the streets.

For weekend tickets, £70, or tickets to individual events call the town hall box office on 0844 5762210 or book online at cheltenhamfolkfestival.co.uk.