THIS year’s Lyme Regis ArtsFest drew to a close after record numbers flocked to exhibitions.

In its 11th year, more than 2,900 people attended the eight-day festival in Lyme and Uplyme, which ended on Sunday.

The festival was opened by mayor Sally Holman at the Town Mill in front of a record crowd, including members of the Lyme Regis and Barfleur Twinning associations. On the first Saturday, the town was filled with the sound of music as B Sharp’s buskers performed while visitors were entertained by the stone balancing displays in the shelters.

Karol Kulik, one of the festival organisers, said this year had surpassed every other ArtsFest.

She said: “I loved the festival, there were so many highlights.

“There was such variety with all the exhibitions, the talk with Paula Byrne and Lucy Porter on the Thursday night so people could sample different things and everyone enjoyed it.

“I really feel there was a stronger response to what we did because it was a little bit more thought provoking.

“Rather than just looking at the exhibitions, people were reading the journeys they had been on, which made it more intimate.”

Exhibits took many forms across the town, from a replica kitchen and life-sized drawings to moving textiles about abandoned children and dramatised readings from the Regency poem The Lymiad.

The Bathing Machine and Deck Chairs returned to Rinky Tinks on the seafront, entertaining both children and adults with their modern take on museums and storytelling.

The Great And The Small multimedia production took over the entire Jam Factory premises in Uplyme, telling in films, photographs, sound and music of the connections made between artists here and communities in the Himalayas.

In the Baptist Church Hall, the group exhibition also impressed the crowds, with many people leaving good feedback in the books.

The Art Trail, which was showcased in many shops across the town displayed many pieces of artwork and mosaic mannequins produced by Barfleur artist Cecile Berneron.

ArtFest will continue with Gail Sagman’s The Great And The Small on show at the Jam Factory from October 18 to December 8.