THE line-up for this year’s Cosmic Puffin Festival, on Mersea Island, is jam-packed with a mix of great local acts and exciting new national ones.

Organised by Jamie Anderson to raise funds for the Puffin Ward, at Basildon Hospital, and Children of St Mary’s Intensive Care (Cosmic), in London, the first event in 2008 was a huge success, raising £1,400.

For the last three years, organisers have collected funds for the National Autistic Society and Bliss, the premature baby charity, and this year they will again benefit from the event.

There are more than 70 acts appearing over five stages, including local favourites such as Surfquake, Jamie Williams and the Roots Collective and the Newtown Kings.

Running from today (Friday) until Sunday, tickets cost £45 for a weekend pass with camping, which are available at www.cosmicpuffin.co.uk A teen ticket for 11 to 16-year-olds is £15 and under 11s are free with a paying adult.

A Vintage Transport Weekend is being held at the East Anglian Railway Museum, in Chappel, on Sunday and Monday, from 10.30am to 4.30pm.

There’s plenty to offer for vintage vehicle fans at the railway museum. Try your hand at driving a train, take a ride on the miniature railway and look at the museum exhibits. There will also be an auto and railway memorobilia sale, plus lots of vintage cars, trucks and buses to check out.

More vintage stuff is on offer at a Junk Jamboree Vintage and Craft Market, at the Cardinal Bourne Hall, in Colchester, tomorrow (Saturday). Organiser Liz Cardy says the jamboree will have an old-fashioned British feel to it, like a church bazaar, with local craftspeople showcasing their wares. There will also be vintage stalls run by Revolver, MaryLou and Wivenhoe's Divine InterVintage, and refreshments provided by the Pink Tea Caddy.

Running from 11am to 4pm, entry is £1 and free for children, with proceeds going to Clarks Farm Greyhounds, near Maldon.

Layer Marney Tower will be holding its Kite Festival on Sunday and Monday, from 11am until 5pm.

There will be workshops throughout the day in the Long Gallery, where youngsters can make their own kites before flying them in the fields surrounding the tower.