MORE than 30 prestigious brass bands from across the UK are set to perform at the Pershore Midsummer Brass Festival this weekend.

Organisers are hoping for sunny weather as 12 hours of non-stop brass entertainment takes place in four venues across Pershore on Saturday.

Bands will be entertaining crowds for free in Chapman Court from early morning to late afternoon while in the ticketed venues, including Pershore Abbey and The Angel Inn Hotel, the music continues until 10pm.

And with the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War this year, organisers have requested that all participating bands play at least one piece that has some connection with that time period.

David Brotheridge, festival organiser, said the period just before the outbreak of war would be commemorated.

“It is the Peace Before the Storm that is to be remembered," he said. "This theme is felt to be more suitable for a light-hearted occasion like Midsummer Brass and one can be certain that bands will make the most of the opportunity to play an entertaining range of nostalgic pieces that evoke the hot summer of 1914.”

Visitors can enjoy music from all levels of English and Welsh bands at this year's event including the famous Championship Jaguar Land Rover Band,Welsh heroes Tongwynlais and Lydney Training Band.

Pershore Midsummer Brass was resurrected in 2011 after several years’ absence and it now attracts audiences from all over Britain as well as some international visitors.

All-day tickets are available in advance for £12 or £14 on the day. For details, visit pershoremidsummerbrass.org.uk.