KIRKBYMOORSIDE will be swinging back to the 1960s this week as part of the premiere of a new DVD highlighting the town's links with playwright John Arden.

In 1963 John and his wife, Margaretta D’Arcy, put on a month of entertainment for local people at their own home in Kirkby Mills attracting renowned performers and artists including Liverpool poets Roger McGough, Brian Patten and Adrian Henri, Ryedale poet Sir Herbert Read, dramatist Arnold Wesker, novelist Stan Barstow and others.

Many of the performers stopped by en route to the Edinburgh Festival.

Two years ago the town celebrated the 50th anniversary of the event with the Kirkby Fest 2013, featuring film, drama, historical displays, children’s activities organised by the Herbert Read Society and the Kirkbymoorside History Group.

A DVD recording the event has now been completed, including extracts from the David Naden original documentary about John Arden in Kirby Mills, as well as interviews with local residents and scenes of the schoolchildren making masks and the scripted performance that the Herbert Read Society put on for Kirkby Fest 2013.

Louise Mudd, from Kirkbymoorside History Group, said to mark the completion of the DVD they had decided to run a display of photos from the 1960s, as well as running a photo competition for children.

"The aim is to get youngsters interested in the 1960s and get involved with looking at the history of the town," she said.

The finished film will be shown at the Moorside Room, Kirkbymooorside today (Wednesday) at 2pm and then again at 6pm. Admission is free.

Entries to the children's competition will also be on display with the judging taking place at Kirkbymoorside Library on Saturday, from 10am to noon. There will be another chance then to see the Kirkby Fest 2013 film at 11am.