🍓 Hi Devon Fans,

Welcome to Go Devon!, a weekly newsletter with fun, interesting and unique things to do in Devon. Thanks for being here!

Enjoy summer at a vibrant country show

In the second instalment of our review of Devon country shows here are those taking place in August and September. View Part 1 here.

7. Honiton Show: Thursday 1st August

They may be little but they’ve got gas!

Watch The Shetland Pony Performance Display Team race to raise funds for charities at the 133rd Honiton Show.

Honiton is big, attracting more than 20,000 visitors, 1,000 livestock entries and 400 trade exhibitors.

Children’s entertainment includes donkey rides and dancing sheep (we don’t know either!) and a range of workshops offering the chance to make jewellery, masks and flags.

Tickets: Adult £18 in advance, £20 on the day. Children U16 free accompanied by an adult. Free parking and shuttle bus from Honiton High Street.

8am to 6pm. Stockers Farm, Gittisham EX14 3AW

8. North Devon Show: Wednesday 7th August

Alpacas and Valais Blacknose sheep are the main attractions at a special education animal area at the North Devon Show, which includes 3 performances of The Sheep Show.

Free clay laser shooting, ferret racing and archery should also prove popular.

Live music acts start at 10am and a traditional countryside area will have demonstrations of thatching and stone walling.

Tickets: Adult £18, child 5-15 £3, family £38.

Umberleigh Barton, Umberleigh EX37 9DX

9. Okehampton Show: Thursday 8th August

Horses dominate Dartmoor’s largest agricultural show with more than 60 classes up for judging from hunters, Arabs, skewbald and piebald to mixed mountain and moorland.

When it comes to food and drink organisers restrict stands to Devon-based producers, and preference is given to individuals and smaller organisations.

Craft for sale include hand painted mirrors, woodcraft, jewellery, beads, paintings, photographs and handmade soap.

Tickets: Adult £15, child U16 free with an adult.

Stoney Park Showground EX20 1SW

10. Chagford Show: Thursday 15th August

Not surprisingly there can be some false starts when a random group of dogs line up to chase a lure up a field.

The open to all Dog Race provides some fun and excitement even if it doesn’t always go to plan (video).

The show boasts more than 300 trade stands spread over three fields and in two large marquees next to the beautiful river Teign.

Prices unavailable as we published.

Dogmarsh Fields, Mill End TQ13 8JN

11. Holsworthy & Stratton Show: Thursday 22nd August

It’s not just about heaving great beasts about.

At Holsworthy you’ll see Red Ruby Devon cattle next to ferrets and and Space Hopper racing for all.

Other attractions including showjumping, vintage displays and flower and crafts tents.

Tickets: Adult £16, child U16 £5, family £40

12. Lustleigh Show: Monday 26th August

This is a small Dartmoor village show punching above it’s weight with an emphasis on audience participation at no extra charge.

For 2024 there’s a climbing wall and circus skills training, ferret racing and thatching and dry stone walling demonstrations, and tunes from the Dart Valley Stompers Jazz Band.

Tickets: Adult £10, child U14 £4, family £25.

Kelly Farm. Use postcode TQ13 9SW

13. Kingsbridge Show: Saturday 7th September

One of the last shows of the year, Kingsbridge plans to entertain with Paul Hannam’s quad bike stunts, Pony Club Games and the ever popular terrier racing.

New for 2024 is the Scarecrow Competition, open to schools and childrens’ groups, with the traditional parades of livestock and hounds and

The Country Scene marquee includes childrens’ pets competitions for rabbits, guinea pigs a spinners and weavers group.

Tickets: Adult £15, child 11-16 £5, child U11 free.

Devon Curiosities #6: The 10 Commandments stones, Buckland Beacon

Why would someone write the 10 Commandments on giant stones in the middle of Dartmoor?

The story goes back to 1927 when local landowner William Whitley opposed plans to revise the Book of Common Prayer.

They would have aligned the Church of England more closely with Catholic teachings and practices. Whitley was a dedicated Protestant, and this was his protest.

The changes were defeated twice in the House of Commons, and the dates of these are inscribed into the rocks. There’s also part of a hymn, and a Bible quotation.

Weathering wears the letting and it has been restored many times, most recently in 2016 at a cost of £16,000. Here’s how the restoration happened (video).

A 1km walk south from Cold East Cross car park on the B3212. PL20 6TA

Listings

🌊 North Devon 

MAY

Fri 10th and Sat 11th

COMEDY | 🎙️ Alfie Moore: A Face for Radio | Fri 10th: Tiverton Community Arts Theatre EX16 6SQ - Tickets £17.50 | Sat 11th: Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe EX34 9BZ - Tickets from £21

Sat 18th

FESTIVAL | 🎪 Pigstock 2024 | The BIG Sheep, Abbotsham, Bideford EX39 5AP | Adult tickets 27.50, child £17.50

Sun 26th

BIKING | 🏍️ Bideford Bike Show | The Quay EX39 2HW | Bikes £3, visitors free

ENVIRONMENT | 🌊 Beach Clean Up | Mill Rock, Woolacombe EX34 7HL | Free

Fri 31st 

ADVENTURE | ⛴️ Take a trip on the world’s last seagoing paddle steamer | Ilfracombe Pier EX34 9EQ | Adult tickets £49, children £24.50 | Other dates also available

JUNE

Sun 16th

DAY OUT | 💦 Bideford Water Festival 2024 | The Quay EX39 2EY | Free

JULY

Sun 7th

GO KARTING | 🏁 Bideford Soapbox Derby | Bideford Pannier Market EX39 2DR | Free

Sun 14th

CHALLENGE | 🚲 Croyde Ocean Triathlon | Putsborough Sands, Croyde, Braunton EX33 1LB | Enter here

Thu 18th

THEATRE | 🎭 Little Women | Arlington Court, Barnstaple EX31 4LP | Adult tickets £22, child £13.20

Fri 19th to Sat 20th

SEA FESTIVAL | 🚤 Lynmouth Regatta & Maritime Festival | Lynmouth Harbour, EX35 6EQ

🐬 South Devon

MAY

Sat 11th

FUN AND GAMES | 🧩 Cheesy Bingo Party | Exeter Corn Exchange, Market Street, Exeter EX1 1BW | Tickets £16.50

Tue 14th

GEOGRAPHY | 🪨 Geology day trip on the Devon coast | Stuart Line Cruises, Exmouth EX8 1FE | Tickets £25

Fri 17th to Sun 19th

TUNES | 🎸 Dart Music Festival | Various performances throughout venues in Dartmouth | Free

Sat 18th to Sun 19th

DAY OUT | ⛵️ Plymouth Pirate Weekend 2024 | Barbican PL1 2LS | Free

Sat 25th

FESTIVAL | 🎈 Devonshire Balloon and Music Festival | Exeter Racecourse EX6 7XS | Adult tickets £10.84, child £7.59

JUNE

Sat 1st

CHALLENGE | 🏃‍♀️ Dartmoor Prison Break 2024 | HMP Dartmoor, Tavistock Road, Princetown PL20 6RR | Entry £38.62

MUSIC | 🎶 South Devon Big Band performing at Budleigh Salterton | The Public Hall, Station Road EX9 6RJ | Tickets £12.50

Sat 15th

FAIR | 🍺 Exeter Independent Market | Exeter Cathedral EX1 1HS | Free

Sat 15th to Sun 16th

CAR ENTHUSIASTS | 🚗 Plymouth Motor Show 2024 | Horsham Playing Fields, Staddiscombe PL9 0DF | £5 entry per person

JULY

Sat 6th

ADVENTURE | ⛺️ Roar n’ Snore | Dartmoor Zoo, Plymouth PL7 5DG | Adult tickets £89, child £55

🏆️ Win Devon prizes

We find Devon prize competitions so you don’t have to.

Closing dates in brackets. Terms and conditions apply, see individual websites for details.

You could win:

🐺 A family ticket for 2 adults and 2 children to see unusual animals at Exmoor Zoo (no date given)

🏡 An escape to a newly refurbished cottage in South Devon (Tomorrow 10th May)

NEW! A 1-night stay for 2 at a 5-star Devon spa near Plymouth for a women’s retreat. (Instagram) (12th May)

🍷 A one‑night stay for two in a boutique North Devon venue and pub, a three‑course dinner for two and a farm tour worth a total of £375. (15th May)

⛺️ A 2-night stay in a Brixham glamping pod. (27th May)

🍓 A luxury afternoon tea for 2 in a Totnes delicatessen (30th May)

Got a competition? Let us know

That’s all for this week, but…

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With Devon love,

Andy, Esme, Lara and the Go Devon! team.