Apart from the eclectic line-up of bands on show, it is the friendly vibe that brings people back to the small north Oxfordshire village of Cropredy year-after-year.

Fairport Convention’s Cropredy Convention (which this year takes place from August 13-15) it is one of the few festivals where punters can mix freely and chat with musicians and performers — at the bar or in the crowd.

The festival's roots go back to the mid-1970s when two Fairport Convention members Dave Pegg and Dave Swarbrick moved to Cropredy.

This led to Fairport playing fundraising gigs for the village during the 1970s, in the gardens of Prescott Manor, the home of former Labour government minister Dick Crossman.

In 1979, Fairport Convention decided to cease touring, but a year later the band staged a one-day reunion concert in the village. This was so successful that it developed into an annual event.

The early festivals in Cropredy attracted first hundreds, then thousands of fans.By the 1990s, the audience was in five figures and this growth has continued. The site capacity is 20,000.

Over the years, the festival at Cropredy has contributed generously to its home village.

Examples range from supporting the local Scout troop to helping fund the building of a splendid new cricket pavilion. The after-festival cricket match is also a regular fixture.

Real ale is also very much a feature of the festival. Wadworth Brewery of Devizes provides the huge festival bar and the village's two pubs also do a roaring trade. Both put on 'Cropredy Fringe' events featuring live music from local bands.

Fairport's Cropredy Convention offers great value for money — in fact, it is one of the cheapest three-day festivals of its kind. There is a substantial discount for early booking, camping is inexpensive and under-12s get in for free.

This year’s headline acts include Steve Winwood, Richard Thompson and The Buzzcocks.

For more information and ticket details, visit the website: www.fairportconvention.com