Revellers braved the wind and rain to herald the 44th annual Broadstairs Folk Week.

Hundreds of spectators lined the streets on Saturday night for the traditional torchlight procession through the town to the clifftop Victoria Parade, although the poor weather led to the cancellation of outdoor music shows at the bandstand.

Festival artistic director Kim Headley said: “We enjoyed an absolutely fantastic start to folk week, which proved that even the rotten weather on Saturday couldn’t deter old folkies from having a good time.

"On Sunday, the weather perked up with thousands of residents and visitors flooding the town to enjoy the friendly atmosphere of music, fun and laughter, and there is a packed programme for the whole week.”

Main venues include the concert marquee in Pierremont Park and the bandstand in Victoria Gardens which also houses the ever-popular week-long craft fair.

Other principle sites are Broadstairs Pavilion, Broadstairs Sailing Club, Hilderstone Memorial Theatre, Crampton Museum, The Leisure Centre, Upton and Charles Dickens schools, pubs and churches.

The programme combines singalongs and music sessions with English dancing, numerous workshops and plenty of free events.

Parents are advised to check out the Hobby Horse Club, daily at the Bandstand from 11am-12.30pm.

For more information, visit the Folk Week office in Pierremont Hall, Pierremont Park, Broadstairs, phone 01843 604080, and see www.broadstairsfolkweek.org.uk

~See this week's Isle of Thanet Extra for more Broadstairs Folk Week stories