Ross Country Music Festival is growing more popular year on year and last weekend's rain did nothing to dampen the spirits of visitors to the 7th brilliant, three day event. Each year the many hundreds of people attending the festival dress up in traditional cowboy and 'Injun' gear and dance away to the music of some great country bands and artistes organized by Colin and Anne Gray, Clive and Bonnie Beard and team. It was good to see the event supported yet again by Marie who kept people's hunger at bay with some of the great food from her burger van.

When we arrived at the festival on Saturday, rain had stopped play for a time whilst the stage was moved from the trailer into the marquee. The fun resumed at 7:30 and although it was still raining on our second visit, there were a good few hundred people sitting down and enjoying the sound of festival favourite, Dave Sheriff. We were given a very warm welcome by a group of people sitting under umbrellas, outside and there were even a few dedicated dancers dancing in the rain.

On Sunday, the sun shone and the stage was back on the trailer. In no time at all the dance area in front of the stage was packed with line dancers. Ross Town Mayor, Councillor John Edwards opened the event accompanied by Carnival Princess 2009, Phoebe Sleeman. A representative from St. Michael's Hospice then gave a short speech of thanks as it is for this very important local charity that Ross Country Music Festival raises funds.

Although there are often moans and groans about the festival noise, we would just like to say this. The many people who attend this great annual event all do their bit to boost the local economy by spending lots of money in Ross-on-Wye, using the shops, pubs and restaurants and given the current economic climate, isn't it worth a little inconvenience? Well done to Colin and everybody involved in this fantastic event. You do Ross proud.