Folk star Kate Rusby will be among the musical highlights at this year’s Rochester Sweeps Festival, which runs from Saturday, May 2 to Monday, May 4.

One of the most famous faces on the current folk scene, the Yorkshire born vocalist and guitarist has acquired an ever-growing legion of fans since launching her career in 1995.

She has headlined most major folk festivals across Britain and has enjoyed chart success alongside Ronan Keating with All Over Again, and with her version of the Kinks’ The Village Green Preservation Society -used as the theme for the BBC’s hit comedy Jam and Jerusalem. Kate will perform at the Sweeps Festival on Saturday, May 2 in Rochester Castle Gardens, supported by five-piece harmony group Kimber’s Men. Folk rock heroes Strawbs will also be performing on Sunday, May 3, supported by Chatham based singer/songwriter Lupen Crook.

Rochester’s Sweeps Festival, now in its 29th year, is the largest May Day celebration of its kind in the country, bringing together street entertainers, local chimney sweeps, Morris sides and fantastic live music in a riot of colour, dancing and revelry.

The fun begins with the traditional Jack-in-the-Green Awakening Ceremony at Blue Bell Hill through to a massive procession through Rochester to round off the celebrations on Bank Holiday Monday.

Tickets for Kate Rusby cost £18 and tickets for Strawbs are £16.

Tickets are available from The Central and Brook Theatre Box Office on 01634 338338 or online at www.medway.gov.uk/theatrebooking. Alternatively, tickets can be purchased in person from Medway Visitor Information Centre at 95 High Street, Rochester.

For full details of this year’s Sweeps Festival and to download a brochure visit www.medway.gov.uk/sweepsfestival