Hi Devon Fans,

🎸 Welcome to a special music festival edition of Go Devon!

Today we’re bringing you all the important details of 12 of the biggest and best music festivals in the county this summer.

Dart Music Festival - Friday 17th to Sunday 19th May

There’s something for everyone from classical to contemporary at Dartmouth’s feast of music.

As ever the ethos is inclusivity, with 40+ diverse acts funded by donations, sponsorships and volunteer supporters.

The festival happens all over the riverside town in venues including a church, art centre, bandstand, yacht club and pannier market.

Among the more entertainingly named bands are Southern Fried Groove Queens, Grizzly and the Grasshoppers, and Captain Accident and the Disasters.

See all the artists on the Spotify and Youtube playlists.

The best bit? It’s FREE!

Pigstock Bideford - Saturday 18th May

This 1-day family-friendly festival started a few years ago in a pub, and now takes over the Big Sheep venue.

Headliners on the main stage are Glastonbury rockers Reef, best known for Place Your Hands (video), and reggae bands Dreadzone and Laid Blak.

There’s free entry to the theme park, kids entertainment all day, an arts and craft area, and sports events including BMX.

11am to 10pm. Abbotsham, Bideford EX39 5AP. Tickets. Adult £25, child £15. Free parking.

Sidmouth International Jazz & Blues Festival - Thursday 23rd to Monday 27th May

Former Spandau Ballet lead singer Tony Hadley opens the proceedings followed by headliners Roachford and MF Robots, Roberto Fonseca and Ruby Turner.

Sidmouth puts on a choice of styles from 22 artists including jazz, swing, blues, roots, gospel, soul, funk, Latin and Cuban.

Last year the festival attracted 10,000 people. Full lineup.

The big acts play at Blackmore Gardens, there’s a dedicated outdoor stage, live music at hotels, restaurants and pubs on the fringe, plus music workshops and jam sessions.

EX10 8LQ. Tickets £20 (early bird) to £495 (VIP).

Festival on the Hills, Honiton - Thursday 30th May to Sunday 2nd June

This is camping and live music over 3 days in easy-going festival for all ages.

Topping the bill are Billy Ocean (Love Really Hurts Without You - video), Bewitched, Nathan Carter and Tunde Baiyewu of the Lighthouse Family.

In the downtime from music and dancing there’s crafts, games and circus workshops for all.

Organisers provide camping and glamping facilities for most budgets with toilets and showers, and the option to keep your car near your tent.

Buckerell, Honiton EX14 3EW

Weekend tickets including camping. Adult £99, child £20.

Summer Sessions, Plymouth Hoe - Thursday 13th to Sunday 16th June

A new concert series, Summer Sessions, is expected bring up to 15,000 fans to The Hoe for 4 nights in a row.

Age is no barrier for the stars headlining including Sting, Bryan Adams, Tom Jones and Blondie (Debbie Harry).

Support acts Gabrielle, Madness, Sophie Ellis-Bexter, the Zutons and Lightning Seeds confirm the 80s and 90s revival feel.

All sessions start at 4pm and end at 10.30pm with tickets starting from £61.60.

VIP places at £95.20 get you right in front of the stage with upmarket catering on offer and posh loos.

Budleigh Music Festival - Friday 28th June to Sunday 7th July

Organisers are celebrating a bit of a coup by booking the BBC Big Band and their feel-good classics and jazz.

The band is joined by legendary jazz singer Elaine Delmar boasting a recording career stretching back to the 1960s.

The concert is part of a week of lunchtime, evening and special mainly classical performances by the sea.

The line-up includes pianists Ethan Locke and Benjamin Grosvenor, vocal ensemble Tenebrae, mezzo-soprano Dame Sarah Connolly and Senegalese harp player Seckou Keita with members of the Bath Philharmonia Orchestra.

Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday 5th April.

Let's Rock Exeter - Saturday 29th June

This is the festival to hear those retro 80s sounds.

The Boomtown Rats are headlining, with Sister Sledge, Jason Donovan, UB40, Altered Images and Sonia.

After playing the Isle of Wight Festival last year Bob Geldof said: “It’s weird. I’d forgotten how powerful a band The Rats are!”

VIP tickets get you fast track entry and access to the Club Tropicana themed enclosure, luxury loos, meal and a welcome glass of prosecco plus exclusive DJ sets .

The 1-dayer runs from 11am to 10.30pm.

Powderham Castle, Kenton EX6 8JQ. Free parking. Tickets. From £35. Free entry for disability personal assistants. Glamping £190-£800.

Tunes on the Sands, Dartmouth - Friday 12th to Sunday 14th July

Not the Mediterranean, but it could be.

With a bit of imagination, Blackpool Sands with the sun shining and the beach music festival in full swing could be the Cote D’Azur.

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

Feeder, Razorlight and DJ Chris Moyles with his 90s hangover party top the bill.

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

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

Sidmouth Folk Festival - Friday 2nd to Friday 9th August

Steeleye Span, Fisherman’s Friends and George Hinchliffe’s Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain are among scores of acts featuring at the second big Sidmouth festival of the year.

The town has championed traditional music, dance and song since 1955, attracting tens of thousands of visitors every year to venues throughout the town.

With a huge range of genres and interests you can see concert stars, emerging talent, ceilidhs and folk dances, or take part in youth sessions and participatory workshops.

Tickets. All-in-One Week or (Weekend) Adult £509 (£194), 18-25 £309 (£120), 12-17 £190 (£87). U11 free.

Big Tribute Fest, Plymouth - Friday 9th to Sunday 11th August

Quite a line up, not the originals of course, but some good imitations like Coldplace, Spice Forever (video), Just Tina, Maximum Robbie, Oasish, and Little Chix.

Billed as the UK’s freshest weekend festival, The Big Tribute Fest brings together some of the best tributes around, performing hits that everyone knows.

With a 4,000-capacity tent in Central Park the weather wont’ matter and there won’t be a muddy field or pair of soggy wellies in sight.

All 3 days are family-friendly, with the Friday in particular aimed at creating a fun family vibe, with face-painting, bouncy castle, and fairground rides.

Organisers pride themselves on using local food and drink vendors.

Tickets Adult day £37.50, U18 £13.75

Gone Wild, Exeter - Thursday 22nd to Sunday 25th August

More than music, Gone Wild is billed as a family adventure.

No other Devon festival seems to have as many activities going on away from the main stage.

Led by action man Bear Grylls, there are more than 100 things to do for adults and children over 4 days in the Powderham Castle grounds.

Talks from inspiring speakers, quad biking, raft-building, circus skills, gross eating, tree-climbing, science shows, paintball and silent disco are just some of them. Full list here (scroll down).

On the music side, Sam Ryder, James, The Feeling and Ocean Colour Scene headline are supported by tributes to Queen, The Killers and Sam Fender to complete a fulsome menu, including camping options.

Tickets. Family weekend £499. Adult £205. Child £40-£85. Evening tickets £42.50.

Sheb Fest, Beauworthy - Friday 30th to Saturday 31st August

As the last rays of summer sun disappear, Sheb Fest is there to keep the spirits alive when everyone is thinking about going back to work and school.

On a farm in the depths of the county (the name comes from the nearby village or Shebbear) offers live music on 2 stages with camping and glamping close to hand.

It’s an intimate festival which punches above it’s weight in terms of acts. The 2024 lineup is to be announced, but to give you an idea, last year festival goers were treated to Razorlight and Liberty X.

Allacott Farm, Shebbear EX21 5TF

Tickets. Adult £66.50, U18 £51.25, 5-12 £20.50, U5 £5.

🏆️ Win Devon prizes

We find free to enter 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:

New!  🐟 Tickets for Rick Stein at Torquay’s Princess Theatre (15 Mar)

New!  🥂 A champagne afternoon tea at the Duke of Cornwall Hotel, Plymouth (no date given)

🌳 A 3-three-night stay in an eco-conscious luxury lodge, with up to 6 guests, and a welcome hamper on arrival, worth £800. (27 Mar)

🍻 A fabulous Salcombe Brewery Company. “Pub in a Box” (31 Mar)

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

New!  🐄 A weekend or midweek break in a self catering cottage sleeping 4 near Sidmouth (6 April)

New!  ⛺️ A 5-night stay at Parkland dog-free and child-free caravan and camping site in the South Hams during July or August (10 April)

👪️ 1 of 4 amazing 2024 family park holidays (30 April)

Got a competition? Let us know.

That’s all for this week, but…

Can we ask a favour? Please forward this email to ONE friend today and please tell them to subscribe here to keep up with Devon events.

With Devon love,

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