MORE than 1,000 folk flocked to Oxford at the weekend for a very traditional knees-up.

The second annual Folk Weekend Oxford hosted 73 events between Friday and Sunday evening, including more than 60 Morris dance troupes, a ceilidh for special schools and whistle-whittling workshops.

The festival this year has almost doubled in size, with 14 stages set up at eight venues around the city, including the Castle Mound, old prison cells and the Ashmolean Museum.

Festival director Cat Kelly said: “It has been amazing — doubling up has definitely paid off. We have had so much going on that people have been dipping in and out of things, and everyone has been able to get into everything it seems.”

The festival was entirely organised by volunteers, and about half of the events were free.

In Gloucester Green, craftsmen and women at a weekend-long Village Fete gave demonstrations, and visitors tried their hand at making jewellery.

Ms Kelly said her favourite moments had been watching Tandem perform, and the special school ceilidh.

Paddy Hogan, 14, from Eynsham, above, was among the performers. He said: “I like Morris dancing because it is different and it looks cool." Picture: OX58599 David Fleming