☀️ Hello Devon Fans!

It’s kind of a random fact, but we only just discovered this.

Did you know Devon is the ONLY county out of 48 in England with TWO separate coastlines?

(Cornwall has a North and South coast as well of course, but they are joined, so they’re actually just one. Just saying).

OK, here’s this week’s dose of Devon fun…

Battle of the soapbox racing cars

The annual battle of the Bideford soapbox racing cars provides plenty of amusement as engineering masterpieces fail, drivers crash on corners and bits fall off.

Here’s the highlights video from the Bideford Soapbox Derby last year.

The charity event is free (please donate) and includes street food, bar, stalls from Devon traders and children’s rides.

There are 42 entries with the fun starting at 12pm. Get there early to get a good spot.

Sunday 12th July. Bideford Quay, High Street and Grenville Street are closed from 6am to 9pm.

A classy celebration of speed and dreams

“You got a fast car. I want a ticket to anywhere.” Tracy Chapman, Fast Car.

Oh, the glamour, the romance, the speed, the shiny alloy wheels, the places we could go. We can look at them, and we can dream…

The Celebration of Speed is back at Lympstone Manor next month with more super motors to fantasize about, with food, drink, chat and music.

Listen to exclusive talks with TV presenter and racing driver Jodie Kidd, and presenter and motoring specialist Ant Anstead.

In the evening join the Party in the Paddock with headliners including The Feeling and DJ Gok Wan.

Fancy your chances as the next Hamilton? Take a seat in the simulator and race to the top of the score board.

Courtlands Lane, Exmouth EX8 3NZ. Wednesday 10th July. 1,400 attended last year. Here’s a video.

Tickets from £43.47

Is this the coolest location for a music festival?

Azure sea, gold sand, great music.

Feeder and Razorlight top the bill for the 3-day Tunes on the Sands festival on South Devon’s Blackpool Sands.

The crescent-shaped beach is set against an attractive backdrop of pines and the rolling South Hams countryside, with camping on a hillside above.

Among other acts, DJ Chris Moyles brings his 90s hangover party to the mix.

Take advantage of a range of well-being extras on offer including yoga, massage, reflexology and paddleboard tuition.

Near Dartmouth. Friday 12th to Sunday 14th July

Tickets. Adult day £32, U18 £30. Adult weekend £75, U18 £70.

Join the queue for the Rag ‘n’ Bone Man

Concert venues plan ahead to avoid going bust, so if they can predict ticket sales months away, even for big stars, so much the better.

That’s why instead of cracking on selling advance tickets for acts like Rag ‘n’ Bone Man, coming to Plymouth Pavilions on Saturday 23rd November, the organisers open a waitlist.

Rory Charles Graham, as he is otherwise known, seems to be taking a new tack in his career after the huge impact of his debut album Human in 2017. It was the fastest selling male artist album in a decade.

The publicity for a new tour says The Man is “ready to accept joy into his life, embracing newfound balance and returning to his creative foundations while building anew.”

Expect the unexpected? Hopefully with the old gravelly blues hits.

Join the waitlist.

If Latin Funk is your thing…

You need to catch the effervescent Malavita at the Exmouth Festival as they bring fresh tropical vibes to the seafront.

They are one of a set of acts including 8-piece reggae outfit The Barefoot Bandit, folk-cum-electro India Electric Co, and for the closing event Massaoke. Massaoke stands for mass karaoke. They play the tunes, you sing em.

In its 28th year, the festival is one of the biggest arts gatherings in the South West and entirely free across several venues in the town.

Manor Gardens is family-friendly with fun-filled music, theatre, craft and circus.

The Strand features community choirs, drama and dance groups, Ceilidh, sea shanties and Morris dancing, while Sideshore offers a solar-powered stage, pop-up skate ramp, sound and art workshops.

Friday 19th to Sunday 21st July. All free.

Devon Curiosities #12: Childe’s Tomb

You’d be forgiven for asking why someone would build a memorial right in the middle of nowhere, pretty much the isolated centre of Dartmoor in fact.

The legend goes that centuries ago a lord of Devon by the name of Childe the Hunter was out hunting in bad weather, got lost and separated from his friends.

In desperation and trying to keep warm, he killed and disembowelled his horse, huddling inside the carcass, but this didn’t prevent his death.

His hastily will apparently stated that whoever found his body and buried it in sacred ground would inherit his entire Plymstock estate.

What followed was a race between the monks of Tavistock and Plymstock. According to the legend the former won and the body was buried in Tavistock Abbey.

According to Wikipedia the most likely explanation for the memorial’s location is that it is a helpful location for travellers, being on the route between Buckfast and Tavistock abbeys.

Fast forward to 1812 and workmen stole most of the original, more elaborate, stonework to build a nearby farm house. The monument was partly reconstructed in 1890.

Access from Princetown PL20. Walking experience required. Plan your route to avoid the always boggy Fox Tor mires.

WHAT ELSE IS ON

🌊 North Devon 

JUNE

Fri 21st to Tue 25th

ART EXHIBITION | 🖼️ Solstice Swing Exhibition and Open Studio | No 2 Nutaberry Yard, Bideford EX38 4EA | Free.

Sat 22nd

SPORT | 🏝️ Island Beach Netball | Croyde Beach EX33 1NZ | Register a team here.

MUSIC | 🎙️ James Bay headlining at OceanFest | Croyde, Braunton EX33 1PA | Adult tickets £70.65, U18s £65.15

JULY

Fri 5th

RUNNING | 🏃‍♀️ Sunset RunFest 2024 | North Devon Cricket Club, Bideford EX39 4LF | Tickets from £6

Sat 6th

FOOD & DRINK | 🍺 Cider and Ale Music Festival | The BIG Sheep, Abbotsham, Bideford EX39 5AP | Tickets £20

Tue 9th

WILDLIFE TALK | 🦋 Butterflies of Devon by Pete Hurst | Quince Honey Farm, South Molton EX36 3RD | Tickets £5

Thu 11th

NATURE | 🦇 Bat Walk at Meeth Nature Reserve | Meeth Quarry Car Park EX20 3ER | Free

Sun 28th

TALK | 🎤 Susie Dent - The Secret Life of Words | Queen’s Theatre, Barnstaple EX31 1SY | Tickets from £29

AUGUST

Sun 4th

DAY OUT | 🛥️ Lifeboat Day 2024 | Clovelly Lifeboat Station, Bideford EX39 5TF

Tue 20th

THEATRE | 🎭 Outdoor staging of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Twelfth Night | Tapeley Park, Bideford EX39 4NT | Adult tickets £15, U18s £11

🐬 South Devon

JUNE

Thu 27th to Sun 7th Jul

MUSIC | 🎵 Budleigh Music Festival | Various locations throughout Budleigh Salterton | Tickets from £5 here.

Sun 30th

MUSIC | 🎷 Jazz on the Quay | Exeter Quay EX2 4AN | Free | Runs every Sunday throughout July and August

JULY

Thu 4th to Sun 7th

AIRSHOW | 🛫 Teignmouth Airshow | Teignmouth seafront TQ14 8SH | Free - Donations appreciated

Sun 7th

MUSICAL | 🎪 Sing-Along Cinema Experience - The Greatest Showman | Home Park Stadium, Plymouth PL2 3DQ | Tickets £5

Sat 13th and Sun 14th

MOTORS | 🚙 Historic Vehicle Gathering 2024 - biggest classic vehicle event in the South West | Powderham Castle Estate, Kenton EX6 8JG | Adult tickets £13, U16s free

Tue 16th

BOAT TRIP | 🛥️ Exeter Canal Cruise | Depart on the boat from Exmouth or Exeter | Tickets £15 | Other dates also available

Fri 19th

CLASSICAL MUSIC | 🎶 Amadeus Orchestra: Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2 | Exeter Cathedral EX1 1HS | Tickets from £16.50

AUGUST

Fri 2nd

TRIBUTE BAND | 🎤 Ed Sheeran Experience | Steel Brew, Royal Willian Yard, Plymouth PL1 3DG | Tickets £22.38

Sat 17th

SING & DANCE | 🕺 The Ultimate 80s Party | Central Park, Plymouth PL1 3DG | Tickets from £15

Thu 22nd to Sun 25th

FAMILY ADVENTURE | 🧗‍♀️Gone Wild Festival 2024 with Bear Grylls | Powderham Castle, Exeter EX6 8JQ | Weekend tickets: Adults £205, U18s starting at £40

🏆️ 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 7-night caravan holiday in Devon (or Cornwall) worth £1,500 with John Fowler Holidays (no closing date given)

🏖️ A week's holiday at luxury holiday apartments, Hope Cove, for up to 6 people worth £2,550 (no closing date given)

 🪶 A 3-night weekend stay or 4-night midweek stay at a Feather Down Farm in Devon (or Cornwall) for up to 6 people (25th Jun)

🐕️ 2-night accommodation at a dog friendly coastal canine cottage (2 adults, 2 children and 2 dogs) plus lunch at a dog friendly pub and £150 spending money (30th Jun)

🎉 1 of 3 holidays, free days out, a tram driving experience and an afternoon tea for two (30th Jun)

NEW! 🍷 A case of British wine from Lyme Bay Winery in the Axe Valley (11th Jul)

🌊 A dreamy night's stay at the Mercure Paignton for 2 people (11th Jul)

🥓 A 2-night stay for two people including breakfast and dinner at the Rising Sun, Lynmouth (12th Jul)

NEW!  🏰 A 2-night stay in Watermouth Castle – with unlimited entry to the theme park

NEW!  🛏️ 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)

Got a competition? Let us know

That’s all for this week, but…

With Devon love,

Andy, Esme, Lara and the Go Devon! team