Folk forms the focus for an important part of the bill at next month’s Balstock music festival, with a special stage reserved for aficionados of all things acoustic.

Last year umbrella group Folkstock curated a stage at Baldock’s White Lion pub and, after a successful debut, the High Street watering hole’s new landlords have invited the champion of independent singer songwriters to provide music for both Saturday and Sunday, September 12 and 13.

The Saturday bill showcases acts who mostly lean towards the acoustic/pop spectrum, with Herts-based Minnie Birch performing and stage managing, and Cara Beard, Luke Tuchscherer and Paul Booth from the North/East Herts scene all featuring, along with a string of acts from West Herts including rising stars Broken Boat.

Sunday will see performers who have already made an impressive name for themselves – all back by popular demand.

They include Stevenage’s rising star Kelly Oliver and award- winning Bedford-based Said the Maiden.

The youngest performer on the day will be 12-year-old Ross from sibling trio Aimee who, alongside sisters Aimee and Freya Mackenzie, is travelling from Hampshire to show Hertfordshire why the band’s star is rising so quickly.

Baldock’s own Pete Guy is opening the Sunday session at midday with local school chaplain Steve Warner joining a line up which includes Welwyn’s Fay Brotherhood, Hertford’s popular ‘duelling guitar’ duo Oka Vanga, a new harmony duo from Dorset called Sandtimer, Zoe Wren from Cambridge and hilarious tongue in cheek duo Black Scarr who are rounding off the event.

There are more than 200 acts booked for 13 stages across the Balstock weekend – find out the full bill and more about the festival online at www.balstock.com.