Watch: Dig This - Countdown to the Vale Earth Fair

Vale Castle and its surrounding grounds will reverberate to a different beat on Sunday as the Earth Fair returns for its 49th year.

Six stages of live music and DJs are on offer with visiting acts including Big Special, Dub Pistols and The Lovely Eggs joined on the line-up by an array of talent from Guernsey.

“1976 was the first one, starting off with just a couple of transit vans with speakers on the top and a stage made out of pallets,” said Earth Fair Collective member Yannic.

“It's just grown and grown since then.”

That growth this year includes a “secret stage” which will be in a pink tent, while The Secret Garden will offer a nice relaxed escape with acoustic music and spoken word.

Merch, food and drink stalls all add to the festival vibe.

“It’s just a great day out. Any kind of genre of music, you're going to find it there. And you can bring your kids up, a picnic blanket and sit in front of the stage. Or you can go and lose yourself on the Pixie Stage all day filling your head full of psytrance. There’s something for everyone, I'd say.”

Three charities are being supported this year.

The Linda Norgrove Foundation is a trust that gives grants to fund education, health and childcare for women and children affected by the war in Afghanistan; Burma Campaign UK, which pushes for human rights and democracy in Burma; and Safer, a Bailiwick of Guernsey charity that supports and empowers those experiencing domestic abuse. 

On Saturday night the Earth Fair host a free warm-up event in the De La Rue which will feature Mountain Peaks, Rosemary and The Jars.

While if you still need more of a music fix, on Bank Holiday Monday the Wind-Down takes place at the same venue from 8pm with The Shabs, Tarantulips with unconfirmed reports of another as yet unnamed special guest on the bill.

Tickets are available online, with people encouraged to purchase them this way even if they are standing in the queue on the day to help speed the entry process up. They will also be available to buy on the gate.

“Tickets are starting to sell pretty fast, so get in there early.”

The event is only possible because of the work of a dedicated Collective. 

“We're all volunteers and doing it for the love. Once you get in there, it's hard to get out again. You just want to see it continuing.”

There remain opportunities for people to volunteer to help out if they want, but particularly in helping clear the site of litter in the days after the event. The Collective will be there until Wednesday.