Country music fans will be made to pay to enter an annual outdoor festival in Wolverhampton for the first time in the event’s 14-year history, organisers confirmed today.

The two-day Wolvestock festival has always been billed as the only one of its size and kind in the region to offer free admission.

It takes place each summer at East Park and is organised by Wolverhampton City Council’s outdoor events team, which recently revealed it costs around £21,000 each year to stage.

Today it was announced a £12 per day fee would be charged at this year’s extravaganza, which will be making its way to East Park on July 25 and 26 and last year attracted around 20,000 people.

The move is part of efforts by the Tory Lib-Dem alliance now running the council to save £40 million and limit council tax rises.

Crissie Rushton, spokeswoman for outdoor events in the city, said today: “When the cuts were announced the overall budget for outdoor events was cut.

“We were the biggest free event in this market as all of our other competitors had an admission fee, so we have introduced that to make sure it can still go ahead. The stage areas will be sealed off so people who just want to use the park will obviously still be able to go in and out without paying.”

A special weekend ticket for the country music festival costs £20. A camping charge of £15 per tent will still be in place this year.

Music fans from across the country annually gather in the park for the extravaganza, that sees it transformed it into a sea of cowboy hats, camping chairs and line dancers. The event is one of a series lined up to transform Wolverhampton’s parks this summer.

Vintage vehicles will once again be on display in West Park as preparations forge ahead for this year’s steam extravaganza in Wolverhampton.

Around 40,000 visitors are expected at the steam and vintage rally, on June 6 and 7, that will feature military vehicles from the past and present, a Battle of Britain memorial flight, a retro car section, selection of camper vans and model railways as well as a vintage funfair, craft marquee and stalls.

Wolverhampton City Council’s outdoor events team is planning for it to be bigger and better than ever before and is trying to secure extra displays and activities to entertain visitors.

Dozens of miniature battleships will float on the lake and bosses are currently in talks to set up at least three new display areas, including a retro car section, selection of camper vans and model railways.

An area showing how people would have worked decades ago will be set up as well as a nature haven and dozens of stalls. A mile-long parade of the vintage vehicles will snake through the city centre from West Park on the Saturday.

The Wolverhampton City Show will be held in West Park on July 11 and 12 featuring a host of demonstrations.