THE long list of acts for this year's Grasmere Guzzler festival has been announced, featuring many of Cumbria's best-known names.

Having celebrated its 10th anniversary last time out, the annual event at The Dale Lodge Hotel and Tweedies Bar has more than equalled it again this year.

With the acts already split across the three days - Friday September 1 to Sunday 3 - the opening night will see solo man Jon Dawes, and live bands Atlas, Serene, Sad-Eyed Puffins, Dust Bowl Daredevils, Convulsions and Manchester indie band Autonomads each performing a full set.

The busiest day, on the Saturday, covers all bases from folk and jazz to ska and rock, with Green Man's Apprentice, KITS, Scrogan's Run, Don't Tell Suzy, Bowie, Beak and Powney, Matt Cowe plays Chet Atkins, Thieving Magpies, Bad Transmission, Valparaíso, Room Full of Mirrors and the The Dolly Blues, and the Sunday gets under way with storytelling from Taffy Thomas, before musical performances from Kendra France, Jack Hartley, Freyja Burke, Matt France, Anne-Marie Sanderson, Paddy Rogan, Tanya Ward, Paper Cranes, and rounding out the show will be Dansi, who recently appeared at Kendal Calling and headlined the Northbound Street Party.

The first event in 2006 saw 100 visitors sampling eight guest ales, but recent years have seen more than 4,000 people in attendance, with around 100 ales, ciders and world beers on offer and live music all weekend.

There will once again be an array of ales and ciders, excellent music as well as a BBQ.

Entrance is free, and camping spaces can be booked through The Dale Lodge Hotel.