Rochester takes a trip back to its Victorian past as the Sweeps Festival once again takes over the town for the Bank Holiday weekend. It’s a folk music fan’s idea of heaven, writes Doug Hudson.

A cascade of colour comes to Rochester over the May Bank Holiday weekend when the 31st Sweeps Festival arrives for three days of music, dance and street entertainment.

Last year it attracted more than 100,000 visitors to celebrate the Victorian tradition of chimney sweeps processing through the town to raise money for the unpaid months ahead.

While the approaching summer meant good news for most, the poor chimney sweeps saw a downturn in business until the autumn when demand for chimneys to be swept returned.

Their music and dancing at least provided some relief – and a little cash – for the lean months in front of them.

Medway Council has supported the festival, which was revived by local historian Gordon Newton and the impressive marquee in the Castle Gardens boasts two major concerts on Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1.

They are Eliza Carthy and band with support from Martin Carthy on Saturday and Show of Hands on Sunday. The Castle Gardens also host an array of stalls which this year includes a traditional herring smoker from Belgium who is bringing along equipment used for hundreds of years in producing pickled and smoked fish.

In the Castle Moat, this year sees the creation of the Boley Hill Village. You will be able to sip coffee or juice while watching continuous live acts on the open-air stage.

Along the High Street, the City Wall Wine Bar stage has a similar programme of live acts throughout the weekend.

Dance displays from more than 70 Morris and ritual dance teams make this the biggest festival of its kind in the world and the sound of sticks cracking and clogs clumping will reverberate through the streets of Rochester.

Beer festivals and music ensure the pubs will be full for three days with folk music featuring guest artists from the US like Truckstop Honeymoon and the French Sur Les Docks.

Young bands such as Cocos Lovers, Los Salvadores, Chimney Boys, Son of Kirk and Green Diesel all reflect the growing interest in folk music among the young while the many sessions provide a chance for amateur musicians to showcase their talent. The festival will also be celebrating the Royal Wedding on Friday, April 29 with a competition for singers and musicians – to come up with an appropriate folk song or piece of music to reflect the occasion.

Rochester’s Gordon House Hotel – itself an historic venue – hosts the event and is putting up a prize of a night in the honeymoon suite with dinner for two and Champagne for the winner.

Buckingham Palace has been informed of the event and the festival has received a letter with best wishes from Prince William and Kate Middleton.

It is one of several events on Friday night but the festival opens officially on Saturday at 10.45am at the Guildhall Museum forecourt and finishes – many empty beer barrels later – with the Sweeps Festival procession from the Castle on the Bank Holiday Monday.

You can, of course, join in with the revellers on Sunday, May 1 at 5.32am when they congregate at Blue Bell Hill for the Jack-in-the-Green awakening ceremony.

After all, there is nothing like seeing a festival-goer wearing a large, foliage-covered, garland-like framework covering his or her body from head to foot.

The Sweeps Festival takes place from Saturday, April 30 to Monday, May 2.