THE Worcester Music Festival featured bands on barges and singers in the street as well as acts in dozens of city pubs.

Hundreds of bands and thousands of people took part in this year’s festival, a three-day celebration of local music which came to an end on Sunday.

With more than 230 acts performing at about 30 different venues, there was plenty to see and hear.

The festival began at the Marr’s Bar in Pierpoint Street on Friday.

The Mayor of Worcester, Councillor Mike Layland declared it officially open live on BBC Hereford and Worcester radio before Worcester-based rock band the Cohen Brothers took to the stage.

Highlights included blues four-piece Black Cat Bone taking to the water on Saturday to play a gig live on board a barge as it sailed down the river Severn before mooring at North Quay.

In the afternoon Droitwich-based singer Howard James Kenny performed an impassioned set at the Firefly in Lowesmoor, while well-known guitarist Gwyn Ashton played at the Cricketers in Angel Street.

Singer Becky Rose, who recently took part in the UK’s only Bob Dylan festival, impressed at the Pheasant in New Street.

On Sunday, local bands were invited to visit Worcester Arts Workshop in Sansome Street where festival organisers – who are all volunteers – held a ‘demo derby’.

Bands were able to hand their demo recordings to industry insiders Paul White from Sound on Sound magazine and Scott Garrett from MAS Records who listened to their efforts and then dished out feedback.

Brian Hoggard, co-chairman of the festival, said it was a richly rewarding, if busy, weekend.

He said: “It’s been hectic but fun.

“The staff have been run ragged but we’re happy; it’s gone really well.

“We had music ranging from folk to acoustic rock, indie bands, metal bands, goth bands, electro goth bands, blues, jazz, and choirs – everything. You name it, we had it.”

Musicians gave up their own time to take part and almost all the gigs were free of charge. Money raised through raffles and collection buckets will be donated to Worcester Wheels and Worcester Snoezelen.

Your Worcester News is judging this year’s Worcester Music Festival photography competition.

Anyone who took images of bands and acts can submit entries online and be in with a chance of winning a framed copy of their photo and dinner at the Glasshouse restaurant in Sidbury, Worcester.

To enter, go to flickr.com, log in using these details: Yahoo ID: wmfphotocomp@yahoo.com. Password: wmf2010, and upload photos before Sunday, August 29.