THE county’s biggest festival of folk dancing returned to the streets of Winchester in its best celebration.

Mayfest, a carnival of dance which commemorates the coming of May Day, took over the city, with movers and shakers lining the roads to entertain delighted onlookers.

Each year groups of traditional Morris and folk dance teams take part in various routines.

And with Winchester in party fever due to the royal wedding, hundreds enjoyed the festivities.

This year, dancers and musicians performed at St Maurice Covert, on the High Street, St Lawrence Church and to dozens of people soaking up the sunshine outside Winchester Cathedral.

In total more than 25 different groups performed throughout the whole of Saturday.

Organiser Cathy Knell paid tribute to everyone who helped make the event a success, including dance organiser Lucinda Pillow, treasurer Bob Dodson and Lin Raynor.

She said: “It was a fantastic event with people from across the city enjoying the dance.

“It’s a really positive event and while people were sat outside enjoying the sun, they were able to have a look at what we were doing.

“It’s been a wonderful day and it worked well as Mayfest is about fertility, which links well with the royal wedding.”

She added: “We rely only on public donations, so without the help of everyone we wouldn’t be able to put on events like.

“We’re so grateful to everyone.

“People of all ages got involved in the end.

“There were youngsters, teenagers and adults all dancing.

“It was something really special.”

Cathy told the Daily Echo that Mayfest would return bigger and better next year, with a more international theme to the dancing on offer.

May 18, 2019 has been pencilled in as the next edition of Mayfest.