FOR one glorious weekend Stroud once more became a hotbed of music, drama, cabaret and street entertainment as festival fever hit the town.

Sam Bond reports, pictures by Mark Watkins.

Festival goers were spoilt for choice this weekend as a packed programme of events competed with some striking street entertainment and a raft of free events.

The town's venues were all crammed with crowds keen to catch some fantastic acts.

A fabulously festive Cornhill was decked out in drapes and lively deco, creating a wonderful funky atmosphere for some great live bands including the chilled out trance music of Elephant Talk and the beautiful, bouncy reggae of T and Latouche.

The Subscription Rooms played host to the festival's big name band Chumbawamba as well as the less widely known but equally impressive Delta Moon and Claire Martin.

Poetry was also on the menu at the venue with the West County burr of Pam Ayers filling the ball room.

The rather different poetry of Les Barker had audiences in stitches late into the night at The Space which was used as an intimate after-hours chill out zone for the first time this year.

Pubs pulled out all the stops to get into the festive spirit with live music at several of the town's drinking holes including the Golden Fleece, Queen Victoria and the Swan.

The Retreat put on its annual Guinness and oyster festival while the Queen Vic's barbecue and beer festival offered a choice of real ale to rival a CAMRA convention and the Duke of York acted as the focal point of the Nelson Street street party.

Community radio station Stroud FM provided the soundtrack for the festival featuring some top local music as well as entertaining, witty interviews and regular updates on festival goings on.

The streets were transformed into a busy marketplace selling festival favourites like didgeridoos, colourful clothing, weird and wonderful jewellery, food from around the world and of course madcap hats.

As dozens of entertainers took to the streets it was like all the summer weekends rolled into one as the Sub Rooms forecourt became Stroud's answer to Covent Gardens.

The variety of street acts was impressive, with everything from dangerous juggling and slack wire walking to the odd art of upside-down portraiture and the distinctly weird antics of Bruce Airhead whose efforts to get inside a balloon had audiences of all ages enthralled.

On top of the official festival came the fun of the fringe of the fringe, with the lively street party in Nelson Street featuring Stroud favourites Superjuice and more local bands the Mad Cows and Popgang playing in the Artspace.

The children's festival saw Bank Gardens turned into a mini wonderland, with mask making, bizarre scientific experiments and all manner of workshops keeping the nippers entertained.

The festival was enjoyed by all, even when the predicted showers had them running for cover.