MONMOUTH'S free nine-day festival came to a dramatic end on Saturday night with a magnificent firework display which thrilled the large crowd filling Agincourt Square.

It's the 22nd year in which Monmouth Festival has been held and over that time it has evolved to become the biggest event in Monmouth's social calendar

The biggest change for this year was the amalgamation of the annual carnival into the Festival Fun Sunday.

The fringe events also gained in popularity from the classical music being performed at St Mary's Church by the likes of Brass Alliance, Tri-Unique, Caldicot Male Voice Choir and Sil Kvinetten to jazz at the Queen's Head Inn with the Big Clutch.

The entertainment provided at Monmouth Festival is entirely free but relies entirely on grants and donations.

The generous contributions made by the public each night via the collection buckets help keep the festival alive.

It was traditional 1950s Rock and Roll on the festival stage on Wednesday, which had members of the crowd jiving on the cobbles of Agincourt Square by bands the Corsaires and Restless.

Reckless Affair and 10,000 things took to the Agincourt stage on Thursday evening, but it was the final acts that stole the show.

Mick Avory the drummer with the Kinks, Eric Haydock founder member of the Hollies and Chip Hawkes, the voice behind the hits of the Tremeloes, came together as the Class of 64 to thrill the crowd with songs from all the bands they originated from.

Back by popular demand was Dr and the Medics who last appeared at the festival in 2002 and didn't disappoint the enthusiastic crowd with their antics on stage.