ALL things wool related - including live sheep and shearing demonstrations, will descend on Shipston for its 8th annual wool fair.

A variety of events and entertainment are planned for all the family including an arts and crafts street market, two music concerts and photography and fancy dress competitions.

The weekend of woolly-themed events takes place on Saturday, Sunday and Monday May 28 , 29 and 30 and celebrates the town's heritage and reviving the traditional sheep and wool fair from the 1800s.

“We’re excited to have up to 20 rare breeds of sheep this year as well as live sheep shearing demonstrations, musical entertainment and the chance to ‘have a go’ at wool crafts. Supported by a whole weekend of woolly fun, there’ll be something for all the family," said Bob Armstrong, chairman of the Wool Fair Committee.

The weekend’s programme will start with a 'Totally Locally' arts and craft market on the Saturday offering a mix of talented local artists and craftspeople selling their handmade creations from soaps to ceramics, and paintings to wood craft, textiles and up-cycled furniture.

‘Calypso Kids’ will be providing entertainment for the children with musical and crafting sessions. Local musicians will be busking throughout the day.

Saturday night’s entertainment comes from ‘Smooth Weave’, a musical evening of tight-knitted French jazz at Townsend Hall. The musical theme continues with the Rotary Club Songs of Praise Concert at St Edmund's Church on the Sunday, promising a light hearted uplifting afternoon of hymns, songs, readings and poems chosen and read by local community groups, interspersed with music from local musicians and students from both Shipston Primary and Shipston High School. On the Sunday evening ‘Whisky Review’ will be playing in The White Bear pub in the Town Square.

The Wool Fair itself will be held on Bank Holiday Monday from10am-4pm, and in addition to a packed line-up of sheep and wool related demonstrations, crafts and entertainments, there will also be a children’s fancy dress competition in the town centre and a photography competition displayed and judged at St Edmund's Church.

For those not wanting to park in the centre of town there will be a ‘Sheep Shuttle‘ park and ride operating from the Sheldon Bosley Hub, in Pittway Avenue, into the wool fair at regular intervals between 10am and 4pm on the May 30.

For more information visit: http://shipstonwoolfair.co.uk/