IT WAS the eighth Alresford Music Festival but it was the biggest ever.

Tim Miller, co-director of the festival, said there were over 4000 people at this year’s festival compared to just over three and a half thousand last year.

Co-director Sue Thomas said: “The advance tickets sales were better than any previous years and the weather was certainly on our side.

“The glorious sunny weather meant many people just decided to turn up on the day, and as we are a festival based in the town that makes it easy to do.”

The festival had five stages and over 25 music acts, with the headline act being Molotov Jukebox.

Molotov Jukebox call their style ‘tropical gypsy dubstep’ and they fuse sounds from ska, latino, soul, funk, gypsy and other musical styles to create a very danceable sound. Fronted by Natalia Tena who is an actress that you may recognise from Harry Potter and Game of Thrones. Miss Tena pulled out of some festivals this year because of filming commitments but managed to stick with Alresford Music Festival where she proved a very popular headline act.

Other lively acts were The Electric Swing Circus a 6-piece fusion of saucy 1920’s swing and stomping electro beats, the Winchester based funk rock blues band RattleWreck, and Ushti Baba a riotous gypsy-folk band.

Ukulele fans were spoilt for choice with both the Southampton Ukulele Jam and the Alresford Ukulele Jam performing.

Sue Thomas said: “Molotov Jukebox were having a ball on stage and making the most of one of the last shows this year, which the crowd really loved. Southampton Ukulele Jam are hugely popular and they drew their biggest crowd yet to the Big Top Tent.

The Undercover Hippy played a glorious set to a dedicated crowd of fans and The Black Hat band fronted by the spectacular Jaelee Small and the ever popular Hattie Jacques’ Playlist just ramped up the party vibe.”

The festival had a new fifth stage called the The Globe Theatre Stage as it was sponsored by the Globe Pub.

On this stage there was all sorts of theatre acts and workshops aimed at children and award winning children’s author Ali Sparkes entertained and inspired.

Each year the festival raises money for good causes and Sue said: “we are still crunching the numbers but with such a busy festival we hope to have raised more than ever, probably several thousand”

The charities this year are Winnall Rock School who provide free music tuition and band workshops in the Winchester district area, Key Changes a music charity for people experiencing mental health problems and Harmony of Hope, dedicated to bringing music to refugees affected by conflict.