A POPULAR festival is making its post-covid and in person return next weekend after an online festival last year.

The Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival is running from Friday July 15 to Sunday 17 and celebrates trade unionism with music, entertainment and talks.

The festival commemorates the history of its namesake, the Tolpuddle Martyrs, when in 1834 six farm workers were sentenced to seven years’ transportation to Australia for forming a union.

It was a move which sparked a massive protest across the country – and their story is kept alive at the festival where tales of modern day struggles are heard.

There has been an annual gathering to mark the story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs since 1930s.

Nowadays it is a weekend-long, family-friendly festival, with topical discussions and lectures from a wide variety of speakers, plenty of music to suit all tastes, food stalls and campaign groups, trade union activities, a children’s area, a programme of radical films in a vintage mobile cinema, comedy, drama, and more.

Music at the festival marquee will include; folk punk singer Shannon White, Rhoda Dakar best known as the lead singer of 'The Bodysnatchers, singer songwriter Robb Johnson and Billy Bragg the singer-songwriter and left-wing activist.

Sunday also sees the wreath-laying at the grave of James Hammett, and the grand procession at 2pm which sees thousands march through the village accompanied by bands.

There will also be various union and political figures such as Trade Union Congress South West Chair Hannah David and shadow leader of the House of Commons Thangam Debonnaire participating in talks on subjects such as winning solidarity at work and challenges for women leaders.

As he has in past years festivals, Jeremy Corbyn will also be attending.

Entrance on Friday and Saturday will be £50 for an adult weekend pass, £5 for children 5-15 and free for children under five. For a single day adult ticket it is - £20 for a Friday only pass, and £35 for a Saturday only pass.

Sunday with its traditional rally is free and open to all, the only charge being a £15 parking fee.

The main road through Tolpuddle will be closed to all traffic from 1pm to 6pm on the Sunday.