THE landmark 40th year of the Calne Music and Arts Festival has seen much improved ticket sales on previous years according to organisers.

Wednesday’s lunchtime concert at John Bentley School proved particularly popular with over 100 tickets being sold on the door alone.

The concert featured a whole host of primary school choirs from Calne and the surrounding villages perform a selection of songs from Oscar Hammerstein musicals including the King and I and The Sound of Music.

President of Calne Music and Arts Festival, Carole Browne, said: “It was the 40th anniversary so it was special but I think it was one of the best festivals we have had in recent years.

“We had some extremely good quality concerts, classical, folk and jazz, there was a variety and, whatever the genre we had, it was one of the best you could get.

“It’s a proper community event; it involves the local churches, schools, photography clubs, and artists groups.”

In addition to the more traditional music and artwork, Xpression Streetdance held a variety of workshops in different dance styles at the town hall on Saturday (October 10).

The workshops, ran from 10.30am to 4.30am, included latin and ballroom, ballet and belly dancing with a mini variety performance given by Xpression’s own dancers at the end.

Organisers have also thanked members of the Calne Visitor and Information Centre for their help with ticket sales in their role as the festival’s box office.

The festival drew to a close on Sunday evening with a sold out Boogie Woogie and Blues evening with Julian Phillips and his guest artists.

The Calne Music and Arts festival will return in 2016 starting on the first Thursday in October.