Organisers are busy putting the final touches to the 37th Downham Market Festival which will see cowboys and cries of 'Yeehaw' take over the town.

The eight-day festival starts on Sunday, May 29 with a flag-raising ceremony in the Town Square at 11.30am.

This will be followed by an evening of country music and comedy courtesy of Hayley Moyses and Nigel Syar from 7.30pm in the Town Hall.

Bank Holiday Monday will see the popular carnival parade snake its way through the town from Heygates Mill to the Howdale at noon.

Organisers hope that the parade will be biggest ever with the theme of 'Wild in the West', following last year's 'the Circus Comes to Town'.

The newly-elected town mayor will then officially open the Carnival Day events on the Howdale at around 2.15pm before a Wild West showdown takes place in the main arena.

On Tuesday, May 31, people can go along to the Town Hall for the festival cake-cutting event from 10am or the festival quiz from 7.30pm.

The following day the Town Hall will host a children's show from 10.30am to noon before Cabaret Time with Olly Day and Eve Bridger from 7.30pm.

A festival baby show will take place at the Salvation Army meeting place in Bridge Street on Thursday, June 2 from 1.30pm, which will be followed by an evening of one act plays in the Town Hall from 7.30pm.

People can have a great evening of music from the Houndogs in the Town Hall on Friday, June 3 from 7.30pm.

Both young and old can then enjoy a rounders tournament at the town's high school from 11am on Saturday, June 4, which will be followed by the Downham Market Summer Ball at the Town Hall from 7pm.

The final day of the festival will see songs of praise and a flag lowering ceremony on the Town Square at 1pm.

For full details of what is planned for the festival, pick up a programme for �1 at shops around the town.