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Appledore Book Festival: literature and arts by sea

Listen to authors talk about their new books: Jeremy Vine on the 100 worst radio blunders, Judy Murray’s tennis novel, Carol Klein on horticulture, and Martin Bell on war and peace-keeping.

Plus Susie Dent from Countdown, actors Celia Imrie and Nigel Planer, radio host The Rev Richard Coles, BBC correspondent Sarah Rainsford, chef Rick Stein and historian Robert Harris.

Now in its 18th year, and still run entirely by volunteers, the festival aims to increase the enjoyment of reading and encourage creative writing by providing access to inspirational writers.

Tickets from £16 per talk. Friday 13th to Sunday 22nd September.

Time to admire those highly polished playthings

Unless you’re a proud exhibitor, admiration and envy are probably the main emotions you’ll experience while walking around.

The Saltram Rotary Classic Car Show in Yealmpton is not just cars and includes motorcycles and tractors, lovingly restored and maintained.

Between 150-200 vehicles are expected. One of the entries is beautiful Daimler Dart, first registered in March 1963.

This year also enjoy the South Hams Singers jazz band, food and craft stands, a drinks bar and bouncy castle.

In 2023 the event raised £6,500 for the Devon Air Ambulance Trust.

11am to 4pm. Sunday 8th September. Adults £5, U16s free.

Lyneham Estate, Yealmpton PL8 2LG

Free fireworks for all in Plymouth

The regular British Firework Championships takes place this year on Wednesday 14th and Thursday 15th August 2024 with six firework companies competing.

Get to Plymouth Hoe for an evening of pyrotechnic fun with fairground rides, live music and food and drink.

Fairground and catering open from 2pm, live music from 5pm and the bangs start once its dark around 9.30pm.

Each competitor presents a 10-minute display.

Flowers, music, frolics and step dancing

Step dancing and ferret racing are among the free attractions at the Dartmoor Folk Festival in South Zeal from Friday 9th August to Sunday 11th August.

The step dance competition is a festival tradition. Dancers step on a 15 inch square board showing their different steps to try and outstep the previous dancer until a final champion is chosen.

Anyone can take part. A morning workshop teaches people the basic steps and after this most people are able to enter the junior or senior competition if they wish. Details here.

The opening night’s ceilidh with the Dartmoor Pixie Band is £15.

View the programme. Weekend tickets. Adult £70, child £50. Camping option available.

“Dark energy and walls of distortion”

Who’d have thought heavy metal played by classical musicians would be such a hit?

Following sell-out world tours, The Rock Orchestra by Candlelight is appearing in Exeter with two performances of a new 90-minute concert.

The publicity promises music breathing beautifully dark energy and enchanting melodies alongside powerful walls of distortion.

Well, that sets the scene.

University Great Hall, Stocker Road EX4 4QB. 8pm, Saturday 2nd November and Sunday 10th November. Tickets £44-£67.

Devon Curiosities #18: Postbridge Clapper Bridge

Back in the days before listed monuments and the like, people used to help themselves to any bit of Dartmoor heritage they liked: a few old stones wouldn’t be missed, would they?

The now Grade II listed clapper bridge at Postbridge, thought to date back to the 13th century, was thus vandalised in the mid-1800s when a farmer decided to tip one of the slabs into the river to form a dam and create a duck pond.

As a modern road bridge had been nearby built in the 1780s it must have seemed like a good idea at the time, except the slab didn’t rest upright and ended up flat on the riverbed.

As restoration started to become a thing, the slab (or post, as they are known locally, hence Postbridge) was replaced in 1879, ensuring that the ancient crossing remains one of the best examples of its kind in the country.

Visit the National Park Visitor Centre while you’re there. Postbridge PL20 6TH

WHAT ELSE IS ON

🌊North Devon

AUGUST

Wed 7th

SHOW | 🐮 North Devon Show | Umberleigh Barton, Umberleigh EX37 9DX | Adult tickets £18, U16s £3, family £38

Thu 8th

SHOW | 🐷 Okehampton Show | Stoney Park Showground EX20 1SW | Adult tickets £15, U16s free

Fri 9th

ANIMALS | 🕷️ Exmoor Zoo creatures up close at RHS Rosemoor | RHS Garden Rosemoor, Torrington EX38 8PH | Adults free, U16s £3 - General admission into the garden is also required

Sun 18th

WILDLIFE | 🐚 Summer Rockpool Rambles | Combesgate Beach, Woolacombe EX34 7EB | Tickets £5 | Other alternative dates from July to September

Thu 22nd

SHOW | 🐐 Holsworthy and Stratton Agricultural Show | The Showfield, Pyworthy EX22 7JP | Adult tickets £14, U16s £5, family £40

Fri 23rd

DISCO | 🪩 Silent Dance Party in the Woods | Wild Woods Bar, South Molton EX36 4RR | Tickets £20

Fri 30th to Sun 1st Sept

MUSIC | 🎤 On the Road Music Festival | Saunton Road, Braunton EX33 1HG | Adult tickets from £30, U18s tickets from £10

Sat 31st

ROWING | 🚣‍♀️ Clovelly Gig Regatta | Clovelly Harbour, Bideford EX39 5TF

SEPTEMBER

Sun 1st

007 | 🍸 The James Bond Concert Spectacular | Queen’s Theatre, Barnstaple EX31 1SY | Tickets from £32.50

Sun 8th

CHALLENGE | 🏊 Bideford Triathlon 2024 | The Quay, Bideford EX39 2EY | Register here

🐬South Devon

AUGUST

Thu 1st

SHOW | 🐴 The Honiton Agricultural Show | Stockers Farm, Gittisham EX14 3AW | Adult tickets £18, U16s free

Fri 2nd to Sun 4th

HERITAGE | 🚂 Torbay Steam Fair | Kennels Showfields, Churston Ferrers, Brixham TQ5 0JT | Adult tickets £12.50, U17s £5

Fri 2nd to Fri 9th

ARTS | 🎵 Sidmouth Folk Festival | Events happening in Sidmouth town centre | Individual event tickets here (£0-£37)

Thu 15th

SHOW | 🦆 Chagford Show | Dogmarsh Fields, Mill End TQ13 8JN | Adult tickets £15, U17s £5

Mon 19th

DRINK | 🍷 VINOYASA Wine Tasting | Jenkins Quay, Bantham | Tickets £39

Sat 24th

MARINE LIFE | 🐟 Snorkel Safari with the Ocean Conservation Trust | Mount Batten, Plymouth PL9 9XH | Adult tickets £25, children (12-16) £22.50

Mon 26th

SHOW | 🐑 Lustleigh Village Show | Kelly Farm TQ13 9SW | Adult tickets £10, U14s £4, family £25

Thu 29th to Sun 1st Sept

ENTERTAINMENT | 🐎 Festival of the Iberian Horse | Westpoint Centre, Clyst St Mary, Exeter EX5 1DJ | Daytime tickets from £8, evening shows from £35

SEPTEMBER

Wed 4th to Sun 8th

THEATRE | 🎭 SIX the Musical | Theatre Royal, Plymouth PL1 2TR | Tickets from £45

Sat 7th

SHOW | 🦙 Kingsbridge Show | Borough Farm TQ9 7QP | Adult tickets £12.50, U17s £3

🏆️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 luxury 2-night stay at Thurlestone Hotel, South Devon (5th Aug)

🎣 A 2-night stay at a Venn Lakes lodge with private hot tub and fishing included for experienced anglers (6th Aug)

NEW!  🎹 2 tickets to Elton John (tribute) by candlelight in Torquay (9th Aug)

NEW!  💷 A £75 voucher for an Exmouth beach bar and restaurant ( 13th Aug)

🫧 A luxury summer spa retreat at Boringdon Hall, Plymouth (19th Aug)

🛏️ A 2-night bed and breakfast break at the Redcliffe Hotel, Paignton (30th Aug)

🍏 A Devon food adventure bundle: thatched inn stay, cider tour, £135 bakery voucher, distillery tour, flapjack box (31st Aug)

🛏️ An overnight stay with dinner at a dreamy Salcombe coastal hotel plus a local brewery tour (30th Sep)

Got a competition? Let us know

That’s all for this week, but…

With Devon love,

Andy, Esme, Lara and the Go Devon! team