🐟️ Dear Devon Fans,

It’s a tasty catch today!

Celebrate arrival of the Silver Darlings at the Clovelly Herring Festival

The one-day festival celebrates and promotes the tasty and nutritious herring, known in smoked form as the kipper or bloater and affectionately as the Silver Darling.

On the Clovelly quay, kitchens serve a variety of herring specialities (video) along with beer, gin and cider tastings, local food and craft stalls.

Throughout the day there will be live music, street entertainers, face-painting, and an art workshop.

Maritime historian and writer Mike Smylie attends with his “Kipperland” display, which is devoted to the history of all things herring.

Village entry. Adult £8.75, child (7-16) £5.10.

Sunday 19th November, 10am to 4pm. Clovelly, Bideford EX39 5TL

Bird watching from a boat, on deck, or from the warmth of the cabin with a pasty

Thousands of birds migrate to the Exe estuary in autumn and winter providing a visual feast for ornithologists or those who fancy a slightly different day out.

Take a 3-hour bird-watching boat trip from Exmouth and see waders, wildfowl and gulls aplenty with a guided commentary on habitat, feeding habits and behaviour.

You will also get a checklist to mark off birds you’ve seen, maybe oystercatchers, avocets, and lapwings, and if you’re lucky a kingfisher or grey heron.

If you are wondering, the birds are there for the mud. Someone worked out that a cubic metre holds the calorific equivalent of 14 Mars bars in snails, worms and clams.

The outings are run by Stuart Line Cruises on various dates between November and March. Tickets are £14, and hot pasties, soup and drinks are available on board.

If you had any doubts, Santa definitely exists

Support charity, get a free Santa suit, a medal and some treats when you take part in the Plymouth Santa Fun Run on Sunday 3rd December.

The charities you’ll be backing are Jeremiah's Journey, which supports young people experiencing bereavement, and Shekinah, which helps the homeless.

The 2.5K fun run, jog, or walk starts at Southside Street, Barbican and loops around The Hoe guided by stewards. Keener runners can go around twice to make 5K.

The £15 entry fee is a donation to these and other charities supported by Saltram Rotary Club, and covers the costs of the suits, road closure fees and medical cover.

The Santa garb comes in three sizes and is available before the event so you can make alterations if necessary.

The organisers hope participants will also get sponsorship from friends and family.

See promising stand-up talent when The Comedy Store comes to Exeter

With nearly 40 years as the premier name in comedy, The Comedy Store is known as a hatching space for new talent.

Eddie Izzard, John Bishop, Jimmy Carr and Sarah Millican all cut their comedy teeth with the London venue.

The company brings its talent to regional venues and has 5 dates in Exeter over the next year.

They promise “The Best In Stand Up” from around the globe, pushing the brightest names in comedy today, and maybe the stars of tomorrow.

The next available date is Sunday 17th December at 7.45pm at the Barnfield Theatre, Barnfield Rd, EX1 1SN. Tickets £22.50.

Try the Burrator Noir for a challenging off-road night run

Runners…you’ve probably got a lifetime personal best, but what about a night time personal best?

Experience racing in the dark with either a challenging 12-mile off road Dartmoor trail or a 10K flat, fast road run as part of the Burrator Noir series.

The trail route is moorland, plantation, leats, gnarly rocky paths and disused railway lines, runnable say the organisers, but obviously challenging.

It takes in Nun’s Cross, Princetown, Foggintor Quarry, Ingra Tor and Burrator Reservoir.

The 10K follows the road around the reservoir. There are kids races as well.

Saturday 18th November. Entry fees from: 12 mile £17.50, 10K £14.70. More information and tickets.

Make your own silver jewellery workshops that come to you

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 taster sessions and all day workshops open to complete beginners, providing all the required materials, tools, equipment and knowledge.

Even in a 2.5 hour workshop students can choose to make 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 Teignmouth, Exeter, Budleigh Salterton, Barnstaple and Honiton. Details.

Listings

🌊 North Devon

OCTOBER

Fri 13th to Sun 29th

ASTRONOMY | ⭐️ Exmoor Dark Skies Festival | A two week celebration of the night sky, with dusk wildlife safaris, planetarium and astrophysics lectures | Multiple events on Exmoor | Details and prices here

Sat 21st to Tuesday 31st 

HALLOWEEN | 🎃 Be a student at the School for Witches and Wizards | Learn to cast spells, brew potions and take halloween rides | The Milky Way Adventure Park, Bideford EX39 5RY | Tickets £16.95 for children 3 years and up

NOVEMBER

Fri 3rd

THEATRE | 🎭 Little Murmur | Dance and theatre exploring the story of a boy and his struggle with dyslexia. | Heywood Hall, Chulmleigh College, Chulmleigh EX18 7AA | Adult tickets £7.50, U16s £5.

Sat 4th

BONFIRE NIGHT | 🎆 Woolacombe Bonfire and Fireworks | An evening of fireworks, drinks and food | The Meadow, South Street, Woolacombe EX34 7BB | Adult tickets from £6.60, U16s £5.50

Sun 5th

PRIZE RUN | 🏃‍♀️ Bideford 10 mile 2023 | Run along the beautiful Taw and Torridge estuaries for charity. Winners get £250. | Riverbank Car Park, Bideford EX39 2QS | Registration

Mon 6th

SOCIAL | 🥣 Join a Eat, Meet and Make session at Studio KIND and get to know people | Studio KIND, Unit 3 Velator Way, Braunton EX33 2FB | Free

Fri 10th

SUPERNATURAL | 👻 Learn how to hunt for ghosts in the Second Stage Pub, Ilfracombe’s “most haunted” location | Second Stage Pub, Wilder Road, Ilfracombe EX34 9AJ | Tickets £30.

Sat 11th

WILDLIFE | 🦉 Take part in a guided walk around Appledore and see North Devon’s winter birds | Appledore Bridge, Appledore, Bideford EX39 1NL | Free

REMEMBRANCE | 🎺 Hear the Appledore Band and Barnstaple Male Voice Choir on Remembrance Day | Lavington United Reformed Church, Bideford EX39 2PZ | Adult tickets £6, children £2

Sun 12th

CRAFT | 🎨 Spend the day learning how to block print with designer Annabel Hill, and create your own personalised printed tote bag | Studio KIND, Unit 3 Velator Way, Braunton EX33 2FB | Tickets £50

Sat 18th

CRAFT | 🎨 Make ceramic Christmas decorations to adorn your Christmas tree | The Burton at Bideford, Kingsley Road, Bideford EX39 2QQ | Tickets £37.06

Sun 19th

FESTIVAL | 🐟 Celebrate and learn about Clovelly’s fishing heritage at the Clovelly Herring Festival | Clovelly EX39 5TA. Adult £8.75, child (7-16) £5.10

Sun 26th

ENVIRONMENT | 🌊 Look after the North Devon coastline by taking part in cleaning up Woolacombe beach with Plastic Free Wollacombe and the National Trust | Mill Rock, Woolacombe EX34 7HL | Free

DECEMBER

Fri 1st

TRIBUTE BAND | 🎙️ Transport yourself back to the 1970s with the Bootleg Blondie tribute band and some of Debbie Harry’s greatest hits | Palladium Club, Bideford EX39 2DE | Tickets £15 in advance or £17 on the door.

🐬 South Devon

OCTOBER

Until Sat 28th

THEATRE | 🎭 Join Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria as they escape New York Central Park Zoo in Madagascar the Musical | The Lyric, Theatre Royal Plymouth PL1 2TR | Tickets from £18

Fri 27th

CRAFT | 🌸 Create a beautiful and spooktacular Halloween wreath to decorate your front door for trick or treaters with Emma’s Flowers | The Woolwell Centre, Plymouth PL6 7TR | Tickets £45

Fri 27th to Sat 28th

HALLOWEEN | 🎃 Boo at the Zoo | Wander around Dartmoor Zoo at night and meet some scary characters | Dartmoor Zoological Park, Sparkwell, Plymouth PL7 5DG | Tickets £16.50, U16s £14.85.

Sat 28th

ANIMAL PARK | 🌔 Explore and see bears, lynxes and foxes at Wildwood wildlife park, under the light of the full moon | Wildwood Devon, Ottery St Mary, Devon EX11 1LU | Tickets £30.

Tue 31st

LITERATURE | 📖 Take part in a creative writing workshop influenced by Mother Nature | Exeter Community Centre, 17 St. Davids Hill, Exeter EX4 3RG | Free.

NOVEMBER

Wed 1st

TOUR | ☕️ Visit and learn about the only Devon tea plantation, and try their award winning teas | Dartmoor Estate Tea, Furzeleigh Farm, Ashburton TQ13 7JL | Tickets £18.50

Thu 2nd to Sat 4th

THEATRE | 🎭 Watch the theatre production Battle Cry | A solo play recalling former soldier Adams memories of war and his experiences with PTSD | Not suitable for U16s | Theatre Royal Plymouth, Plymouth PL1 2TR | Tickets from £12.

Sat 4th

FESTIVAL | 🔥 Ottery St Mary Tar Barrels Night | Celebrate the pagan tradition of flaming barrels being carried down the streets | Ottery St Mary, near Exeter | Free

Sat 4th and Sun 5th

COMICS | 🕹️ Plymouth Comic Con and Gaming Festival | Meet a Dalek and experience virtual reality | Plymouth Active, Life Centre, Plymouth PL2 3DG | Adult tickets £11.44, U14s £7.54

Sun 5th

BONFIRE NIGHT | 🎆 Celebrate Guy Fawkes at Plymouth Hoe’s Bonfire Night 2023 | Fireworks, food and fairground | The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 2PA | Free

Fri 10th

MUSIC | 🎤 For one night only watch rock band The Hunna live in Torquay | The Foundry, Torquay TQ1 1ED | Tickets £25.58.

Sat 11th

NATURE | 🦅 Join a guided bird watching cruise along the river Exe and learn about different winter species that | Stuart Line Cruises, Exmouth Marina, Pier Head, Exmouth EX8 1FE | Tickets £14.

Sun 12th

BALLET | 🩰 Immerse yourself in the Crown Ballet’s production of Swan Lake | Exmouth Pavilion, Exmouth EX8 2AZ | Tickets from £23.10.

Wed 15th

CRAFT | 🎨 Learn mono printing and create your own unique print with a glass of Prosecco in hand | Ocean Studios, Royal William Yard, Plymouth PL1 3RP | Tickets £30

Thu 23rd to Sun 26th

ENTERTAINMENT | ⛸️ See all of your favourite Disney friends at Disney on Ice | Westpoint Arena, Exeter EX5 1DJ | Tickets from £32.60.

🏆️ Win Devon Prizes

We find prize competitions so you don’t have to. Entry is free unless stated. Closing dates are in brackets.

🐎 A family day out at World of Country Life, Exmouth worth £70 (27 Oct)

🍻 1 of 10 Devon rum & beer bundles (29 Oct)

☕️ A coffee maker and 3 bags of coffee (30 Oct)

⚽️ Family tickets to England mens and womens football matches at Wembley, an EA Sports FC 24 game and £10 Amazon vouchers (survey required) (31 Oct)

🏖 A fabulous short break in Torquay (31 Oct)

🐯 1 of 5 family tickets to Dartmoor Zoo, worth £52. (2 Nov)

🎉 A 2-night luxury stay for 1 person at Gara Rock Hotel, near Salcombe (10 Nov)

New! 🐑 A Devon wool duvet worth £172 (12 Nov)

New! 🌳 A 2-night stay at the organic and ethical Bull Inn, Totnes (15 Nov)

🎭️ A big night out in Plymouth for two people: theatre, meal and hotel (26 Nov)

New! 🍾 A stunning 4-night stay in a shepherds lodge at Dittisham Hideaway near Dartmouth with a welcome hamper for two people worth a total of £1,000. (31 Nov)

🪙 A £200 voucher to spend at Exeter shops and restaurants (1 Dec)

⭐️ A “Golden” ticket to Devon attractions worth £1,500 (1 Dec)

Terms and conditions apply. See individual websites.

Got a competition? Let us know.

With love, cream and jam, in that order.

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

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