THE third Limetree Festival takes place at Lime Tree Farm, Grewelthorpe, North Yorkshire, from Friday to Sunday, boasting big names and regional artists from the worlds of jazz, funk and soul.

Pop punk stalwarts The Blockheads top the bill, plus jazz specialists the James Taylor Quartet, international reggae performer Rocky Dawuni from Ghana – fresh from the studio where he has just recorded his fifth album Hymns for the Rebel Soul – and Limetree favourites, soul and funk outfit Chunky Butt Funky.

Returning faces include actor/performer Keith Allen, who played Limetree for the first time last year and is now involved in the planned Limetree Creative Arts social enterprise, currently in development, and Corinne Bailey Rae who consistently lends support to the festival. Coronation Street star and BBC Radio 6 DJ Craig Charles and his Funk & Soul Show will broadcast live from Limetree on Saturday night.

Bands play in one of three areas. The Green Man stage shows many of the headline acts which also include folk duo O’Hooley and Tidow, Huddersfield’s Kava Kava and Geordie funk duo Smoove and Turrell, who played Glastonbury and the Big Chill last year.

The Haggis Horns’ saxophonist and husband to Corrine Bailey Rae, Jason Rae, was part of the Leeds music scene before his premature death in 2008.

As a tribute to their friend and colleague, Limetree founders Sean and Karen Birdsall have named a stage after Jason and use this as a platform for the best in regional and national talent.

Eight-piece hip hop funk band Mouse Outfit, the SubMotion Orchestra, dance DJ legends Utah Saints and afrobeat space jazz from the Ariya Astrobeat Arkestra are the acts on show.

Queerinspace is back with music, comedy and film in its Bet Lynch tent. Others to be heard there are singer songwriters Ella Edmonson and Rodina, harpist Fiona Katie Roberts, Madam Laycock and her Dabeno Pleasures with music, burlesque plus ragtime revellers The Devil’s Juke Box.

Sean Birdsall says: “I love the fact that we have created the chance for people to get together and make friends.

“All we want is to create something where good people are. That’s why it is so important that those who come to our festival feel completely at home – that Limetree is like being in your friend’s back garden, only with better music.”

■ limetreefestival.co.uk Tickets: adult weekend (18+) advance: £80, on the gate: £90; junior weekend (5-17) advance: £25, on the gate: £35; under-fives: free; family (2+2) £200; day tickets (adult) £35