A BOUTIQUE festival celebrating roots music will be returning to Dorset this summer. 

The Rustic Stomp takes place at Pikes Farm in Organford from Thursday, July 13 to Sunday, July 16.

The Rustic Stomp is hosting three days of music with a rustic aesthetic, bringing together local, national, and international artists offering a bluegrass, hoedown, blues, swamp stomp country-based festival.

The line-up features The Jimmy Hillbillies, Frank from Blue Velvet, Quinn’s Quinney, Burg and the Vagabond Choir, The Curst Sons and Heathen Apostles and Sarah Vista.

Hawkeye Houlihan and friends hosted the festival 10 years ago at the Donkey Sanctuary at Home Farm in Lytchett Matravers and is still running despite the knocks of the pandemic.

Hawkeye said: "Each year we are aiming to increase the accessibility of this type of music to a wider audience and promote the local artists that provide the backbone to the scene, as well as bring in some top-ranking national and international stars.

Award-winning musician Millie Watson, who will be running the Well Bean retreat, said: "We will be organising a group trip to The Rustic Stomp, for anybody who has shared experience with mental health struggles, or would simply like to meet new people.

"Festivals can be daunting if you struggle with mental health/social anxiety, but we also believe that they can be a life changing chance to build community."