It may be entering its 15th year, but the Harleston and Waveney Festival is as popular as ever.

And this year, the festival will be packed with more entertainment as it is spread throughout the year.

The usual week-long entertainment leading up to the August Bank Holiday will be reduced, but the festival will start in April.

Kicking off the new festival programme will be a week-long treasure hunt around Harleston which will start on St George's Day.

This will be followed by a poetry evening at The Swan Hotel, Harleston, on Friday, May 27. Local poets will be confirmed at a later date but members of the public will be encouraged to read their work.

Mustard TV presenter Helen McDermott will present an evening show on July 15. And the South Norfolk Youth Symphonic Band will be taking to the stage on August 5.

Robin Twigge, who has been chairman of the festival for seven years, said: 'Spreading the festival through the year gives people the opportunity to enjoy it a bit more.

'The planning for the festival never stops. We're constantly on the go. By the end of August, we're already thinking about the next year's festival. It's an amazing effort from the volunteers and we only have five members on the committee.

'We try and get all the villages involved and although it's a lot of work, people enjoy it so much and it makes it worth it.'

Waveney and Blyth Art will once again host the sculpture trail at the River Waveney Centre in Earsham, near Bungay, over four weekends and an art show showcasing local artists will be held at The Swan Hotel. The main event will be five days long, from August 24 to 29 but will still be full of fun.

This includes the Rotary quiz, a U3A talk and performers finished off with the family fun day at the Wilderness Lane Rec on Monday, August 29.

The line up for events will be confirmed at a later date.

For more information about the festival or to volunteer, contact Robin Twigge at The Swan Hotel on 01379 852221.

What are your thoughts on the revamp of the festival? Email rebecca.murphy@archant.co.uk