EVESHAM’S busy calendar of festivals and family days out will see big changes this year as old events make way for new ones.

This year Vale residents will be able to enjoy a Vintage Festival and more music as part of a line-up containing the annual firm favourites such as the Asparagus Festival and Angling Festival.

However, it appears that the town’s Balloon Festival and Festival of Sport will not go ahead on the scale that they have done in previous years.

Organisers say the changes are not to cut costs and the budget of £13,000 for the Balloon Festival will go towards supporting the Vintage Festival, a rock concert forming part of Evesham Festival of Music, building the Asparagus Festival further and a new music event at Ashdown Farm called Asparafest.

Shawn Riley, Evesham Market Town Partnership manager, said: “The Balloon Festival is extremely weather sensitive.

“Last year, all balloon launches were cancelled because of the weather.”

The festival has been severely disrupted by the weather for the past two years but a smaller balloon launch is still planned for June 8 and 9.

Mr Riley added: “The new events are really exciting and could bring a lot of people to Evesham.

“The Vintage Festival will take place on May 4 and 5 and have entertainment themed around Lindy Hop music and the Forties, Fifties and Sixties, vintage vehicles and stalls.

“We will also have the equipment from the It’s A Knockout TV programme and teams will have a go for charity.”

Asparafest, which will include a mix of music performed over two days, is being organised by Nigel Smith, landlord of the Fleece at Bretforton on June 1 and 2, with celebrations centred around the Vale’s most famous vegetable.

He said: “We like to think of it as an extreme village fete.

“It is well within the reach of Vale people. It is a big venue so there is lots going on.”

Speaking about the Festival of Sport, last year’s organiser Fran Webb said she hoped it would continue in some form as it had been a great success in previous years, but it was unlikely to be on the same scale as before.