CIRENCESTER is getting into the festival spirit as a popular smash hit music event is less than one month away.

The volunteer-run Phoenix Festival is gearing up for its second year in the town and hopes to attract more than 18,000 visitors, topping last year’s total.

Headlining the event this year are two world-known star bands, ready to take to the stage and rock the town during the last weekend of August.

Beatbox band Duke and hard rock German group Miracle Masters will be gracing the huge stage in the Abbey Grounds.

“We’re very excited,” said Miracle Masters vocalist Oliver Weers. “This is the first time I have played in England and I’m really looking forward to it.

“Cirencester is a very cute town and these local festivals are very important. It’s fantastic.”

The brand new five-man band Miracle Masters, formed out of former hard rock group Pump, has already released three albums, with the latest set to be released in the UK soon.

Also headlining this year at the festival is Duke, a band made up of only three voices and one guitar, incorporating beatbox into all their tracks.

In the past they have supported musical superstars Jessie J, The Feeling and N-Dubz and have also played at some of the UK’s biggest festivals including Leeds Festival and Boardmasters.

As well as top headlining bands, the festival will also be welcoming well-known and popular Cirencester bands to the stage including Ethemia, Cams New Band and Two Tides.

The two-day music event will be featuring 30 different musicians alongside a host of local traders, artists, charities, food and drink sellers and a flypast from the famous Breitling Wingwalkers.

Festival organiser Clare Bartlett said the Phoenix Festival last year was a real success and she hopes its second time will be even better.

“Last year the first festival created a real buzz and was a huge success with over 18,000 people attending,” she said. “This year we expect it to be even more successful as the excitement and anticipation grows in the build up to the event.”

The family-fun festival boasts activities for all the family with a bouncy castle, rodeo donkey and circus skills for children, a pop-up skate park for teenagers and a festival bar serving real local ales for adults.

The Phoenix Festival takes place in the Abbey Grounds in Cirencester on August 30-31.