ONE of Bridport's favourite events, full of silliness and outrageous hats will return for the first time in two years this weekend - but it will be a little different.

The Bridport Hat Festival will take the form of a garden party at the Millennium Green this Saturday, September 4.

The wacky and wonderful celebration of hats was cancelled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic and organisers were unsure whether they would be able to bring the event back this year.

However, it was confirmed in May that the event will take place this year.

The event has been scaled down this year and will be take place wholly on the Millennium Green. South Street will not be closed as in previous years.

There will be music provided by Bridport Folk Festival and the Lyme Bay Morris Men will be dancing in the afternoon. The traditional hat hurling challenge will be held at 11am with cash prizes. Dogs are welcome at the event (with or without hats) and they will be entertained by Mark from Animal House.

Drinks will be available, courtesy of the Jurassic Fields team and cream teas and cake will be provided by the Brit Valley Rotary Club. Hot food will be supplied by the Bigger Bites team who will be serving pulled pork from its mobile wagon.

Brian Atkinson, organiser of the Bridport Hat Festival, said: "After the last year and a half, people need to let off some steam and put on some silly hats. They need to be able to enjoy some sense of normality.

"The event always demonstrates a sense of comradery and jovial nature throughout the town. When people put an outrageous hat on it breaks the ice and gives you a sense of social cohesion. I'm not sure why but I've seen it happen on many occasions now.

"We trust that the good people of Bridport will once again don their hats, relax, enjoy the atmosphere; generating that sense of gaiety associated with previous hat festivals. So do put your hat on and join in the fun at Millennium Green."

The event will kick off at 10am when the Bridport town crier, John Collingwood, introduces the Mayor of Bridport, Ian Bark. At 10.10am the folk music will begin, carrying on throughout the day. The hurling challenge will take place at 11am, alongside the Animal House dog event.

All attendees will be asked to gather at 1pm for the mass hatted photo and the Lyme Morris Man will be performing from 1.10pm to 1.40pm and 2.10pm until 2.40pm.

There will be a bucket collection on the day with donations being made to the festival organiser's chosen charities of Brain Tumour Research (BTR) and The Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust (BIRT).