Bob Dylan played at the Hop Farm Festival last year

Kent's biggest music extravaganza is definitely going ahead this year, it has been confirmed.

That was the defiant message issued today by organisers of the Hop Farm Festival.

All the Early Bird weekend tickets have sold out already - despite no acts being announced yet.

A tweet on the show's official Twitter account stated: "To all our loyal loving farmers out there - Hop Farm Festival 2013 is 100% happening! Who's hopping down to Kent then?"

It follows rumours that the curtain was to come down on the Paddock Wood-based show, due to widely reported financial problems.

Shares in Music Festivals Group, which is run by music impresario Vince Power, were suspended last September, with a wet summer and an overcrowded festival market reportedly to blame for the group’s dwindling stockmarket value.

to all our loyal loving farmers out there - hop farm festival 2013 is 100% happening! who's hopping down to kent then?

— hop farm festival (@hopfarmfestival) february 14, 2013

Last year's Hop Farm Festival, headlined by Bob Dylan, was not a sell-out despite the nation’s main outdoor music event, Glastonbury, taking the summer off.

High ticket prices during the continuing economic downturn were also thought to have hit attendances, with a three-day pass for the Hop Farm costing about £150.

But there has not yet been any word on the line-up for this year’s show.

A second tweet on the show's Twitter account stated: “In regards to the line-up you'll just have to watch this space hoppers... please excuse the pun!"