The rest of the world may be soaking up the rays at Glastonbury this weekend but for committed folk fans, Crawley is the only place to be.

The annual folk festival, which started yesterday in the wooded grounds surrounding the Hawth Theatre, hosts the cream of the genre, including 2010 BBC Folk Award-winner Martin Simpson, highly regarded acoustic blues guitarist Steven Finn and The Jemima Price band.

Other highlights include comic Ade Edmondson’s (serious) music outing, Ade Edmondson And The Bad Shepherds, Changing Horses – who’ve been dubbed England’s answer to The White Stripes, for their eclectic mix of obscure folk and indie rock – and Hannah & Sam, who were nominees in this year’s BBC Folk Awards.

Tomorrow sees an appearance from newly crowned Folk Singer of the Year Jon Boden with The Remnant Kings, a four-piece backing band of versatile musicians who play guitars, mandolin, concer-tinas, double bass and drums and violin – simultaneously. Boden shares the stage with celebrated flute and whistle player Brian Finnegan, while Australian blues guitarist Geoff Achison teams up with The Spikedrivers (“Delta blues and the sound of the Deep South at its best”) to play the Amphitheatre.

In addition, the festival will hold its traditional ceilidh, a stage of Irish and Celtic dancing, a storytellers’ tent and craft stalls. There will also be demonstrations in Morris and traditional folk dance. The Real Ale Tent has proved such a popular feature in previous years, it has now become a beer festival in its own right and in honour of this inaugural event, organisers have doubled the range of beers, ciders and perries on offer.

More than 70 varieties from local breweries will be on offer, including Cherry Bomb, Dark Star Hophead, Sussex Ballards Wassail, Larkin’s Best and Hepworth Old. Performances on the Beer Tent Stage are free as well, meaning there’s no excuse not to pop along.

* Times vary, tickets from £40 for the weekend, individual gig prices vary, call 01293 553636 or visit www.hawth.co.uk