🌧️ Hi Devon Lovers,

When it’s cold and wet there are always plenty of fun and unique things to do in Devon.

More Lego than you can dream of

A Lego fan event dedicated to all things brick, the Plymouth Brick Festival attracts families, collectors and adult builders.

Who knew there was so much to do with Lego?

The show features speed building competitions, large scale displays, activities, traders selling loose bricks, new Lego sets, retired Lego sets, minifigures, accessories and a dedicated building area.

Sunday 17th March. 10am to 4pm. Plymouth Life Centre, Mayflower Drive PL2 3DG

Tickets Adults £7, children £5, family (2 adults, 2 children) £18. Under 5s free.

Time to admire those motorcycling classics

Classic bike enthusiasts will be showing off their pride and joys at a new event in Bideford on Sunday 11th February.

The Classic Motorcycle Show takes place in the Bideford Pannier Market, showing off lovingly restored and maintained bikes over 20 years old.

A trophy and £100 cash is waiting for the owner of Best in Show.

Entrance £1, under 12s free. Show entries £5. Details.

Bideford Pannier Market, Market Place. 11am to 3pm.

🏍️ The main Bideford Bike Show takes place this year on Sunday 26th May.

This is what 280 different beers look like

The biggest festival of drinks by local brewers in the South West (rivalling anything in the country, according to the organisers) takes place in Newton Abbot on the third weekend in April.

Maltingfest, previously known as Tuckers Maltings, recently added keg beers, lagers and ciders to the main craft beer and ale lists taking the total on offer to around 280.

All the beers are judged in a competition held the evening before the public opening, so you can sample the winners first.

Last year’s best cask beer was an aromatic and fruity pale ale called Square Logic and the top keg production was Raspberry Gose, described as fruity with subtle sour.

Thursday 18th to Saturday 20th April 2024. Osborne Park, Newton Abbot, TQ12 4AA

Contemplate war and peace with Mars

After the success of a giant floating Moon replica, Exeter Cathedral has a similar show featuring planet Mars.

Luke Jerram’s artwork, Mars: War & Peace, is in the nave throughout February, accompanied by a sound composition by BAFTA award-winning composer Dan Jones.

Mars was named by the ancient Romans for their god of war because its reddish colour was reminiscent of blood.

Seven metres in diameter (video) the artwork has been built from detailed NASA imagery. Each centimetre represents 10 kilometres of the Martian surface.

Tickets £6. U18s free when accompanied.

🎵 On Friday 23rd there’s a silent disco taking place underneath the artwork at 7.30pm, and the next day a candlit choir performance.

Seeking out ghosts and ghouls in a chilling mansion

Doors slamming of their own accord and guests waking in the night pinned to their beds.

Real happenings at the 16th century Fulford Manor or lurid stories for a bit of fun?

Your chance to find out comes on the 26th April when with expert guides you’ll stay up to 3am looking for spectres in the dark and gloomy rooms.

Organisers say previous investigations revealed ghostly shadows, hushed conversations and sudden unexplained temperature drops.

Some say the wood-panelled Great Hall is particularly menacing and active, while the cellars have an unwelcoming atmosphere. Enter if you dare.

During your night you’ll take part in various ghost hunting methods including ouija boards, table tipping, glass divination and psychic seances.

Get spooked at the Fulford Manor Ghost Hunt in the company of the Haunting Nights paranormal investigators . Tickets £49.

Fulford Manor, Dunsford, Exeter EX6 7AJ

A mobile jewellery workshop near you soon

The Mobile Jewellery School pops up all over Devon offering beginner silversmithing classes where you make your own item on the day.

Melanie Bowler and Juliette McElligott offer half-day and all day workshops, providing all the required materials, tools and equipment.

Even in a 2.5 hour workshop students can choose to make either a ring, bangle, earrings or pendant, all using recycled sterling silver.

The pair aim to create “a lovely alternative, concise experience for the busy person.”

Half day workshops are £75, full day £150.

Some of the places you can attend over the next few months include Honiton, Lifton, Bampton, Tiverton and Exeter.

Listings

🌊 North Devon

JANUARY

Sat 27th

WILDLIFE | 🦦 Learn about otters from expert Dave Webb | Fremington Parish Hall EX31 3BG | Donation on entry

FEBRUARY

Sat 3rd

FESTIVAL | 🎤 Emma’s YODO | A night full of great performances by local bands | Quince Honey Farm Shop, South Molton EX36 3RD | Tickets £11.55

Wed 7th

BALLET | 🩰 A Royal Opera House screening of the ballet Manon | The Landmark, Ilfracombe EX34 9BZ | Tickets from £14

Sat 10th

MUSIC | 🎙️ One of the best Bon Jovi tribute acts hits North Devon | Queen’s Theatre, Barnstaple EX31 1SY | Tickets from £26

Mon 19th to Sat 24th

THEATRE | 🎭 Celebrate the 70th anniversary of the iconic production, The Mousetrap, by Agatha Christie | Queen’s Theatre, Barnstaple EX31 1SY | Tickets from £19.50

Sun 25th

FOOD AND DRINK | 🌯 South Molton Festival of Food and Drink | South Molton Pannier Market EX36 3AB | Free

Thu 29th

CRAFT | 🌸 Willow Flower Basket Workshop | Chevithorne Village Hall, Tiverton EX16 7PU | Tickets £105

MARCH

Sun 3rd 

OUTDOORS | 🥾 Ilfracombe Four Peaks Walk | Meet at The Landmark Theatre EX34 9BZ | Free

Sun 10th

ENTERTAINMENT | 🔮 Volunteer to take part in The Hypnotist show with Robert Temple | Queens Theatre, Barnstaple EX31 1SY | Tickets from £10

Sat 30th

THEATRE | 🎭 The Hound of the Baskervilles | Queen’s Theatre, Barnstaple EX31 1SY | Tickets £26

🐬 South Devon

JANUARY

Sat 27th

MUSIC | 🎵 The London Gershwin Players performing Rhapsody in Blue | Levinsky Hall, Plymouth PL4 8AA | Tickets £12

FEBRUARY

Sat 10th and Sun 11th

CONVENTION | 🎮 A weekend of all things anime, manga and pop at Plymouth’s 10th Animangapop | Future Inn PL6 5ZD | Tickets from £16.40

Wed 14th

ENVIRONMENT | 🌳 Family Tree Planting Morning with the National Trust | Wembury Beach PL9 0HP | Free

Fri 16th

HISTORY | 🕰️ Blast from the past | Encounter a Roman soldier and other historical characters | Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter EX4 3RX | Free

Sat 17th

RUNNING | 🏃‍♂️ The Wild Night Run | South Brent Old School Community Centre, South Brent TQ10 9BP | Entry £27

Fri 23rd

CRAFT | 🎨 Create your own block printed notebook | Buckland Abbey, Yelverton PL20 6EY | Tickets £38

MARCH

Mon 11th

SCIENCE | 🌉 Take a tour around the anchorage of the Tamar Bridge | Pemros Road, St Budeaux PL5 1LP | Tickets £10

Wed 20th to Sat 23rd

BALLET | 🩰 Birmingham Royal Ballet’s classic fairytale Sleeping Beauty, with music from the acclaimed Royal Ballet Sinfonia | Theatre Royal Plymouth PL1 2TR | Tickets from £27

Sat 23rd

CRAFT SKILLS | 👩‍🏭 1-day introduction to welding course with Richard Evans | Studio 1, Alma Yard, Plymouth PL4 0FF | Tickets £99

APRIL

Fri 19th

CRAFT | 🎨 Botanical Collage Workshop | Buckland Abbey, Yelverton PL20 6EY | Tickets £36

🏆️ Win Devon Prizes

🥧 A long weekend for 4 at Mazzard Farm Holiday Cottages, a pasty baking experience and a selection of pies and pasties (no date given)

New!  🛏️ A 1-night bed and breakfast break for two guests at The Future Inn, Plymouth (31 Jan)

⛱️ A 2-night stay in a luxury Babbacombe beach hut (31 Jan)

💕 A romantic, luxury Valentine’s Day hamper worth £70 (31 Jan)

🛀 A luxurious family hot tub break for 4 people near the idyllic waterside village of Stoke Gabriel (31 Jan)

🏨 A 2-night getaway for two at Lympstone Manor including breakfasts and a fine dining dinner. (31 Jan)

New!  🍸️ A 7-night luxury lodge stay for 4 people in South Devon (23 Feb)

🌊 A 3-night weekend stay for 4 in a cabin on The Flete Estate and paddleboarding on a private beach, plus 2 other holidays. (11 Mar)

🪙 £250 worth of vouchers towards a Devon break (31 Mar)

Terms and conditions apply. See individual websites.

Got a competition? Let us know.

That’s all for this week, but…

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Devon love,

Andy, Esme, Lara and the Go Devon! team