MORE than 140 music-lovers were treated to a barn packed with "a hell of a lot of guitars" at this year's East Anglia Guitar Festival on Sunday.
The fifth annual festival at High Barn in Great Bardfield boasted a workshop in how to make guitars from cigar boxes as well as headline act, BBC Horizon award-winner Ewan McLennan.
Venue director and drummer Alistair McMillan said it was by far the best festival to date.
"It was an immensely popular day and it was certainly a record attendance," said the 30-year-old, who also played with the Ben Smith band in the evening.
"I'd like to say we are the best in the country – but we're not the biggest – but there is something about the festival here in an 800-year-old barn.
"We also had an emphasis on local music. It's all sourced from East Anglia."
Rockers young and old could enjoy 18 exhibitions throughout the day, from 10.30am to 10.30pm, which included Chicken Bone John's cigar box workshop, Dave Youngs' drum tapping and Jon Hart's electric guitar for beginners.
The public also had free reign to jam in a recording studio for 30-minute sessions.
Mr McMillan last year ended up buying a ukulele after attending Keef Jackson's alternative workshop.
"I don't think he can got all those ukuleles in his van!" he said, adding that volunteering organisers Ray Taylor, and the appropriately named Anna Bass, were delighted with the day.
Technician and High Barn director Paul Boon, 45, said: "The diversity of the people that were building the cigar box guitars was brilliant – we had all ages and abilities.
"It didn't matter if you didn't have much knowledge of guitars or even play guitar."
The venue is now looking ahead to an "unplugged" showcase on May 31 with various acoustic acts.
For more information, call 01371 810768
