Kent's biggest little music festival - the Vicar's Picnic - is set to return to Yalding in July this year.

The festival, which celebrated its third year as a fully-fledged multi-day family festival on the banks of the River Medway, in Yalding, last summer will return on Friday, July 14 and Saturday, July 15.

Headline acts are yet to be announced, following last year's Reef, and the previous year, Cast. There will also be local bands and artists.

Festival founder Dave King organises the festival along with a team of dedicated volunteers. He said: “You can’t put a price on the buzz you get from seeing the look on people’s faces when you have put on a great event. That’s why we all do it.”

Vicar’s Picnic was a finalist in the Association of Independent Festival (AIF) awards for the Best Small Festival and shortlisted for the National Outdoor Events awards and in four categories at the UK Festival Awards last year.

Dave said: “It was fantastic that we were recognised among so many other major festivals from around the UK and got to rub shoulders with their organisers, including Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis CBE.

“It’s still early days for us as a festival, run largely by volunteers. We have learned a lot in the past three years – and are still learning – but this very public vote of confidence proves that we have a winning formula here in Kent!”

Several local charities have benefited from the event, including Demelza Hospice Care for Children and Hospice in the Weald, and it has helped buy a defibrillator for the village. It has also supported the village football and cricket clubs and Yalding Church Preservation Society.

Dave said: “We have managed to up our game year on year, putting experience before profit while bringing the best in new breaking artists alongside established bands - all in a family-friendly environment. We are fiercely proud of bringing the best growing event to Kent organised by the people of Kent.”

A limited number of early bird tickets are now on sale in the village from the Post Office, Village Tea Rooms, Walnut Tree public house and the Chequers Inn, Laddingford, or by visiting website vicarspicnic.co.uk