Events in Devon

Enjoy and have fun at the many events in Devon that are listed here.

Devon is a beautiful county with ancient yet modern cities, towns and villages. Together with wonderful moorland and delightful rural countryside that really beg exploration the county makes an enchanting place to live, work and visit.

March

Newton Abbot Races start again at this attractive course on 18th March 2012. For the full fixture list click the link at the head of this paragraph

Moretonhampstead Festival of Food, Drink and the Arts 2012 is being held on 10 March 2012. One for the foodies and lovers of art. Thousands visit to taste the local food and drink and admire the art exhibitions in this delightful town set in Dartmoor.

April

Bampton to Tiverton Road Race3 presented by Tiverton Harriers will be held on Easter Monday 9th April 2012 starting at 10.30am in Bampton.

Exeter Food and Drink Festival will be held on 13th April to 15th 2012 in the courtyard of Exeter Castle and the surrounding Northernhay Gardens. So right in the centre of Exeter. This is, not surprisingly, a very popular event so it is a good idea to book on line as soon as you can.

Tavistock Half Marathon will be held on 15th April 2012.

The Maltings Beer Festival will take place at this Victorian Malthouse in Newton Abbot on 19th, 20th and 21st April 2012. Try out some of the 140 West Country ales! Needless to say a very popular festival!

Hartland Abbey Bluebell Days 2012 are being held this year from 22nd to 29th April 2012. Such a picture, the bluebells stretch from the Walled Garden to the sea!!! Beautiful for the soul.

Budleigh Salterton Jazz Festival will be held on Saturday 20th to Monday 22nd April 2012. New Venue this year will be Budleigh Public Hall.

North Devon and Exmoor Spring Walking Festival will take place on 27th April to 6th May 2011. UK's largest and most scenic walking festival.

Wildlife Festival 2012 will be held in Exeter, on Saturday 28th April 10am until 4pm in the Cathedral Green. This is the 50th Anniverary of the Trust. Plenty to do!

May

Paignton Bike Festival is being held on 4th, 5th, 6th of May 2012. This is the May Bank Holiday Weekend so there will be crowds of bike enthusiasts at this popular festival.

Clovelly Folk Festival will be held on 5th and 6th May 2012 throughout the village. Tickets Adults £15; families (2A+2C) £35.

Brixham Pirate Festival will be held on 5th and 6th May around the Harbour in Brixham. Come and join in the fun and perhaps dress up and take part in another crack at the Guinness Book of Records 'Biggest Gathering of Pirates'. The record was broken in both 2009 and 2010!

Devon County Show Devon's Big Day Out. Will be held on 17th, 20th and 19th May 2012. Clyst St Mary near Exeter.

Sustrans Devon Coast to Coast Cycle Ride will be held on the 19th to 21st May 2012. The pleasant weekend ride starts at Ilfracombe in the north with its craggy beaches and continues down to the Tarka Trail, round the western edge of Dartmoor and on down to the sea on the south coast. Accommodation and meals provided in the cost. Fund raise for Sustrans or give this wonderful organisation a donation. Book soon if you are interested, places are not likely to last long!

Clovelly Celebration of Local Ales and Cider will be held on Saturday 26th May to Monday 28 May 2012. A special celebration. Raise a glass to North Devon's brewers and cider makers.

June

North Devon Festival Very sadly due to lack of funding the Festival can no longer go on in its present format. Some events will continue perhaps in different places and different times. We congratulate the organisers on their past efforts and wish them well.

Ashburton Blues Festival on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of June 2012. The Uniquest Little Blues Festival in the World it is claimed and it probably is. The new venue is Seal Hayne - and what a venue! Just off the A383 on the Ashburton to Newton Abbot road.

Ashburton is on the edge of Dartmoor, just off the A38. It is an ancient town, full of beautiful old buildings with shops, cafes and places to visit.

Brixham Heritage Sailing Regatta on 1st and 2nd June 2012. A sight to see! A festival of old trawlers racing in the lovely waters of Torbay.

The Bideford Boomerang Cycle Ride will be held on Sunday 3rd June 2012 in aid of The North Devon Hospice.

Dawlish Airshow will be held on June 8th 2012. A change of date from August to June. Dramatic flying displays and ground stands. Static helicopters at Dawlish Warren. Lovely beaches, and an airshow!

Ilfracombe Vicoria Week 9th to 17th June 2012. Nine days of festivities to celebrate Ilfracombe's Victorian past. Townspeople dress up and visitors are invited to do so also.

Babbacombe Festival 15th to 24th June 2012. This is the 6th festival and they plan to get better every year!

Teignmouth Folk Festival 22nd to 24th June 2012. The main venue is the Carlton Theatre but there are free performances in several others plus all the street performances. Quite a time to be there!

The Lundy Race Ilfracombe Yacht Club have announced that the Lundy Race will be held on 23rd June 2012 Very much an endurance test!.

Torbay Half Marathon will be held on 24th June 2012. Entries are now open and will fill quickly. It always does!

Dartmoor Classic Sportive Sunday 24th June 2012. Sadly the event has closed for entries this year, but you can put your name down in case of a cancellation

July

Clovelly Maritime Festival Monday 15th July 2012 in the Harbour, Lots of attractions for locals and visitors alike!

Budleigh Salterton Music Festival will be held on 14-21 July 2012. Exhilarating days of the very best in opera, music, and other events.

Torbay Carnival will be held between 21st to 29th July. Paignton Sea Front. Lots of fun.

Woolsery Agricultural Show will be held on 25th July 2012. Entries now being taken.

Totnes & District Agricultural Show 29th July 2012 8.30am. Modern but over 90 years old and one of the best in Wessex and even perhaps the country!

South West Birdman 2012 Ilfracombe Round Table presents, they claim, the best birdman event in the UK this year. They are probably right! Come and watch this spectacle as crazy folk attempt to fly the furthest, and generally finish up in the waiting sea. Great fun for both competitors and watchers alike. Sunday 29th July, put it in your diary.

August

Shaldon Water Carnival Great fun on 4th August 2012.

Clovelly Lifeboat Weekend will be held from 10 am in the Harbour on 4th and 5th August 2012.

Rescue Day 2012 This is something different and well worth the visit. Presented by Ilfracombe Round Table on 8th August. Venue is Ilfracombe Pier between 10 am and 4 pm. There will be live air-sea Rescues with RAF helicopters, RNLI lifeboats, Coastguard cliff rescue. Drugs dog. Huge chip-pan fire. Lifeguards jet-ski surf rescue. Plus static displays and more.

Combe Martin Carnival 5th to the 10th August 2012. Carnivals are great fun, why not take a break in this lovely North Devon seaside resort and be there for the carnival.

The British Firework Championships will be held on 14th and 15th August 2012, Plymouth Hoe. Six Fireworks companies will battle it out for the coveted trophy. Magnificent displays by the best in Britain.

Dawlish Carnival will be held from 11th to 18th August 2012. One of Devon's largest Carnivals right in the middle of the holiday season. An airshow, a carnival, blue flag beaches - what a holiday!

Clovelly Gig Regatta - dangerous and exciting!!!! 18th August 2012.

Sidmouth Folk Week 3rd to 10th August. Music, music everywhere!

Orange Rolling in Totnes Date to be advised. Sir Francis Drake started this strange tradition - apparently he bumped onto a delivery boy and sent his oranges careering down the hill. Nowadays people race each other and chase oranges down Totnes High Street's steep hill. Great Fun!

Ilfracombe Carnival will be held on 23rd August 2012

September

Clovelly Lobster and Crab Feast A feast for the eyes as well as so tasty! In aid of the National Lobster Hatchery at Padstow. They are bringing a tank of baby lobsters who will later to be released in the sea.

Widicombe Fair Most of us remember the old song Widdicombe Fair. The Fair still exists! Dartmoor's day out. This year the fair will be held on Tuesday 11th September 2012.

Tour of Dartmoor Cyclosportive 30th September 2012. Start and finish at River Dart Country Park, Ashburton. Two distances 85 miles and 103 miles. Ride over mystic Dartmoor with its superb scenery.

North Devon and Exmoor Autumn Walking Festival 2012 date to be advised.

October

Dartmoor Mountain Challenge will be held on 14th October. Certainly a challenge and only for the experienced walker. People under 18 should be accompanied by an adult walker. Walk from the famous village of Widdicombe in the Dartmoor National Park for 13 miles through breathtaking rugged country and ancient woodlands. Register online.

November

Stickepath Fireshow To be advised. Held in Finch Foundry Field in Sticklepath. This delightful village is not far from Okehampton on the edge of Dartmoor. The event is one of the most popular in Wessex and 2010 was among the The Times top 15 “Britain’s Best Bonfire Night” events. Remember to get advance tickets - there will be about 3000 people there!

Clovelly Herring Festival 18th November in the Harbour. Celebrates the herring. At one time Clovelly was a major centre for herring.

St Clement's Day, Patron Saint of Blacksmiths To be advised. Enjoy a day out and watch the blacksmiths in competition at Finch's Foundry in Sticklepath. See the firing of the anvil with gun powder no less! Observe the Great Snail Race where blacksmith's make a Sticklepath snail in the shortest possible time. Entry to the forge and Christmas shop is free on the day.

December

Christmas Magic in Clovelly The switching on of the Christmas lights is on 2nd December 2012. A processsion starting from the Visitor Centre will be led by a brass band. There is carol singing and the grand finale is fireworks. Roast and mince pies to eat and punch to drink. Santa naturally.

Dunster by Candlelight Every year on the first Friday and Saturday in December this delightful medieval village in Exmoor, Devon, holds two days of enchanting candlight shopping, eating, a lantern procession plus much more. It is so popular that you cannot park in the village, please use the Park and Ride! In 2012 the event is on 7th and 8th December.

Anyone with events in Devon who would like to list their event here please contact us via the Feedback form, we would love to hear from you. The event should have its own website so that our visitors can find you and obtain more information.

The events in Devon should be capable of attracting crowds, large village fete size and above, similar to those listed here.

Our observations show that www.travelwessex.com's main visitors are those that love walking, cycling, horse riding and other like minded pursuits, but we welcome all attractions as we have many other visitors as well that we love to cater for.

We reserve the right not to include events that are not suitable for legal or other reasons.

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