Malton Market Place will be the setting for a free, open-air musical weekend in June when The Shed Comes To Town.

Ryedale District Council's community services and licensing committee has given the green light to the June 7 and 8 event, to be staged by Ryedale arts organisation The Shed in association with the Malton and Norton Town Centre management committee.

Timed to coincide with The Shed's 11th birthday, The Shed Comes To Town assembles favourite acts brought to Brawby village hall and other Ryedale outposts by promoter Simon Thackray. In the line-up will be the Snake Davis Band, Hank Wangford and the Lost Cowboys, Billy Jenkins with the Blues Collective, the Annie Whitehead Band, Dave Gordon Trio and Joe Townsend Band.

In addition, there will be showcase performances by young bands from Ryedale, who will be working towards the event with Ryedale's Pied Piper Project. The compere will be Ian McMillan, poet and BBC Radio 3 presenter, and ideas are afloat to transfer the annual Yorkshire Pudding Boat Race from Bob's Pond in Brawby to Malton Market Place.

The Shed regularly hosts musical performances and artistic productions in Brawby and around Ryedale, and last held a free show at Malton Market Place on its fourth birthday in 1996.

The Shed has been awarded £5,400 from the Regional Arts Lottery Programme to help towards the £20,000 cost of the weekend. Malton and Norton Town Centre Partnership is providing £4,500; Arts & Business, £5,000 and assorted Malton and Ryedale businesses a further £5,000.

Thackray says: "It's excellent news to be awarded the Lottery grant and a real endorsement of what we're trying to achieve. This is a golden opportunity for Malton and Ryedale businesses to get behind a high profile arts event.

"The Shed Comes To Town should appeal to a wide variety of musical tastes and is perfect for a family audience. Not only will there be a significant increase in tourists visiting the area but the people of Ryedale will have a great time."

The event will run from 2.30pm to 11pm on June 7; 11am to 3pm the following day. More detailed information is on The Shed's website: www.theshed.co.uk

Updated: 09:45 Friday, April 11, 2003