Dear Cream and Jam Lovers,

Stephen, that’s because it is!

Enjoy this week’s events!

All the ingredients for a fun day at Powderham Food Festival

Meet the bouncing chefs, go on a foraging walk, view the chocolate sculptures and have afternoon tea in a music room.

Sounds like a fun way to spend the day at the Powderham Food Festival this weekend, Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th October.

If all that’s not exciting enough, enter the chilli eating competition, get stuck into some “I’m a Celebrity” style gross eating or scale the climbing wall.

Plus of course the plentiful free food tastings and demos from top chefs.

The best bit? Entry is free. (Parking £8).

Powderham Castle, Exeter EX6 8JQ

Three ideas for a child-free luxury Devon break

Now the kids are back to school you might be looking for a well-earned rest.

Of maybe you don’t have children and have been waiting for things to settle down before venturing out again.

Here are 3 suggestions from Visit Devon to treat yourselves to somewhere special this autumn.

• Hideout Treehouse, Hartland, near Bideford EX39 6BY. A collection of luxury treehouses and retreats with hot tubs.

• Mole Resort, Umberleigh, near Barnstaple EX37 9HD. Luxury lodges with hot tubs and on-site activities.

• Dittisham Hideaway, near Dartmouth TQ6 0JB for treehouses, shepherd’s huts and an original American Airstream caravan.

Think champagne, soft towels, massage, movies…..and more.

Walk, meditate and create

Or how about escaping the busyness of life with a creative Dartmoor day retreat?

A Creative Wellbeing Day led by Jamila Hanan starts at Ivybridge and comprises a walk to the top of Western Beacon, a meditation, a 2-course plant based cafe lunch and an art session.

You don’t need to be an experience walker or artist, and art materials are provided.

Saturday 14th October, 10am to 4pm. Tickets £25.

Searching for a murderer at the Monster Ball

One of these unsavoury looking characters is a murderer.

Not a real one, obviously.

They’ll be acting out the part in Murder at The Monsters' Ball, a whodunnit evening at Portmore Golf Club near Barnstaple.

The event is interactive, and you can get involved by finding clues or alternatively, just sit back and have a fun evening without getting involved.

The evening is put on by the Atlantic Coast Theatre “Murder We Wrote” company in aid of the Young Lives v Cancer charity.

Friday 13th October. Portmore Golf Club, Barnstaple on October 13th

Tickets from Jenny on 07767 308469

Animal break out in Madagascar The Musical (includes jokes)

Like Prison Break for zoo animals, Madagascar is the story of friendly beasts who make a run from New York Central Park Zoo.

Alex the lion, Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe and Gloria the hippo break out to explore the city with some help from the penguins.

Starring Strictly Come Dancing Star Karim Zeroual as King Julien, this is a fun evening with animal characters each with their own personas and an upbeat score.

Theatre Matters website said: “A great entry-level type of performance to introduce children to the wonders of live theatre, while also remaining entertaining for adults. Indeed, there’s a number of jokes that will fly over the heads of the youngsters but leave adults with a wry smile.”

Friday 20th October to Saturday 28th October. The Lyric, Theatre Royal Plymouth PL1 2TR

Tickets from £18.

Take a guided tour of a tea plantation and taste some brews

Join the experts at Dartmoor Estate Tea for a tour and hear the trials and tribulations of growing tea on the edge of a wet moorland.

Hear about tea's origins, how it's grown and processed on a guided tour through the tea bushes and micro-factory.

Then sample one of the award winning teas on offer in the Tea House, buy some tea or even your own tea plants for shrubbery or a hedge.

Tours are twice a week until Wednesday 1st November.

Furzeleigh Farm, Ashburton TQ13 7JL. Tickets £18.50

🌟 Win Devon Prizes

We find prize competitions so you don’t have to. Entry is free unless stated.

Closing dates are in brackets.

You could win:

🥓 A tasty full English breakfast for 4 people worth £60 (20 Oct)

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

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

🏖 A fabulous short break in Torquay (31 Oct)

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

Terms and conditions apply. See individual websites.

Got a competition? Let us know.

Listings

🌊 North Devon

OCTOBER

Sat 7th to Mon 30th

OUTDOOR FUN | 🌳 How many scarecrows can you spot whilst on Arlington Court’s scarecrow trail? | Arlington Court, Arlington EX31 4LP | Free

Tue 10th

LITERATURE | 📖 Waterstones Barnstaple Book Club | Talk through and analyse Claire Ratinon’s novel ‘Unearthed’ | A book about her journey from city to countryside | 42 High Street, Barnstaple EX31 1BZ | Free

Thu 12th

FILM | 🎥 Paddling the Margins | A film following Jack Hampton’s kayaking expedition down the West coast of Canada, discussing the impacts and solutions to climate change | Scott Cinemas, 77 Boutport Street, Barnstaple EX31 1SR | Tickets £11.55

Fri 13th

CLASSICAL MUSIC | 🎶 Proust’s Salon: Le Concert Retrouve | Plus high tea and opportunity to explore beautiful gardens | Castle Hill Gardens, Filleigh, Barnstaple EX32 0RQ | Tickets £95

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

Sun 15th

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES | 🧗 Mission Unbreakable commando challenge | Do you have what it takes to complete a 10km obstacle course? | North Molton Sports Ground EX36 3HG | Registration £45

Wed 18th

BALLET | 🩰 Adaptation of the classic Wizard of Oz story | Queens Theatre, Barnstaple EX31 1SY | Tickets from £22

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

Tue 24th

MUSIC | 🎙️ ABBAMANIA | Europe’s best ABBA tribute band comes to Barnstaple | Dance, sing and celebrate the bands iconic tunes | Queen’s Theatre, Barnstaple EX31 1SY | Tickets from £31.50

Wed 25th

TALK | 🎙️ The Wildlife and Ecology of Our Rocky Shores | Learn all about the ecology of North Devon’s coastline from local marine biologist | Braunton Countryside Centre, Caen Street, Braunton EX33 1AA | Tickets £4

NOVEMBER

Sat 4th

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

Sun 5th

RUNNING CHALLENGE | 🏃‍♀️ Bideford 10 mile 2023 | Run along the beautiful estuary whilst helping to raise money for North Devon Hospice | Riverbank Car Park, Bideford EX39 2QS | Registration

Sat 11th

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

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

🐬 South Devon

Fri 6th

TALK | 🎙️ Sir Geoffrey Boycott recalls his career as a Test cricketer | Palace Theatre, Paignton TQ3 3HF £26.95

Sat 7th

DANCING | 🕺 The Legendary Hennock Barn Dance | A night of dancing, ceilidh music and enjoyment for all the family | Beechleigh Farm, Furzeleigh Lane, Bovey Tracey TQ13 9LU | Adult tickets £10, Youth (12-17) £4, U11s Free

Sat 7th to Sun 8th

FOOD FESTIVAL | 🌯 Powderham Food Festival presents Devon’s finest food and drink sellers | Entertainment, chilli competition and live workshops | Powderham Estate, Exeter EX6 8JQ | Free, car park £8

GAMING | 🕹️ Exeter Comic Con and Gaming Festival | Meet a Dalek and experience virtual reality | Westpoint Arena, Exeter EX5 1DJ | Adult tickets £12.89, U14s £8.02

Sat 7th to Sun 15th

HALLOWEEN | 🎃 Pumpkin picking | Pick out your own pumpkin to carve | Terawhiti Farm, South Milton, Kingsbridge TQ7 3JT | Pumpkins from 50p

Sun 8th

CYCLE CHALLENGE | 🚴 Tour of the Moor around Dartmoor for all abilities in aid of St Luke’s Hospice | Harrowbeer Airfield, Yelverton PL20 6BU | Register

Wed 11th

FAIR | 🎢 The annual Tavistock Goosey Fair is back! | Enjoy fairground rides, street food and craft stalls | Tavistock Town Centre PL19 0AU

Thu 12th

CLASSICAL MUSIC | 🎵 A Night at the Opera by Candlelight | Enjoy a performance by London Concertante as they perform well known opera overtures | Exeter Cathedral EX1 1HS | Tickets from £20.71

Fri 13th

OUTDOOR CINEMA | 🎥 Enjoy a spooky night on Friday 13th watching the classic Halloween movie Hocus Pocus | Exeter Racecourse, Kennford, Exeter EX6 7XS | Tickets £4.76

Sat 14th

TALK | 🎙️ Journalist and environmentalist George Monbiot discusses his life and shares his favourite music, performed live by local musicians | Totnes Civic Hall, Market Square, Totnes TQ9 5SF | Tickets £12

Sun 15th

HIKING CHALLENGE | 🥾 Warrior Women Walk | A 10km walk around the beautiful Burrator reservoir and surrounding area in aid of the charity Trevi | Dogs permitted on leads | Registration £20, U10s £10

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

NOVEMBER

Sat 4th

TRADITIONS | 🔥 Ottery St Mary Tar Barrels Night | Celebrate the pagan tradition by witnessing 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

Hey, can we ask a favour?

We’ll keep finding the exciting, surprising, interesting and cool things to do.

You tell your friends about us. Deal?

With love, cream and jam (in that order).

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

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