As a small army of artisan producers prepare for their 2026 events it’s obvious the Devon food and drink business is booming.

The foodie season kicks off with the eat: festival at Bideford on 11th April, one of 30+ food and drink events listed in a free Go Devon! calendar you can grab today.

The simple 3-page PDF list all confirmed dates and highlights those coming. It has you covered for all the scrumptious days out in the county this year.

Print it out for reference, pin it to your notice board or magnetize to your fridge, ready for advance diary planning.

To get the calendar click here

P.S. If we’ve missed an event let me know by replying to this email. The calendar will be updated later in the Spring.

P.P.S. How many food festivals do you visit? Answer in the member poll below.

Enter a world of adult parlour games

Step inside the parlour for a monthly night of magic, clever minds, and variety entertainment.

Parlour Tricks is an adult evening at Leadworks in Plymouth, for those who love being surprised and intrigued.

Hosted by Magic Circle member Chris Tennant, the next event features Plymouth magician and owner of the “world’s smallest magic shop” Malcolm “Mal” Norton, and comedian Tee Wisteria.

The venue benefits from on-street nearby and has a bar.

Tickets: £12

Cole Stacey at St Nicholas Priory, Exeter

One of Devon’s oldest and most unusual buildings is hosting a concert by folk and pop singer-songwriter Cole Stacey.

The 11th century St Nicholas Priory is the backdrop for an intimate concert with songs from his debut album Postcards From Lost Places.

Cole’s solo shows are rooted in storytelling and a love of popular song.

“A magnificent sound” – BBC Radio 5 Live. “Breathtaking, that incredible voice” – TradFolk

Watch a Cole Stacey video

Guest are invited to look around the historic building before the show.

7pm for 7:30pm, St Nicholas Priory, Mint Lane, Exeter. Tickets: £10-£14

A fun night with Big Beats Bingo

[Partner Event] It’s bingo with a twist: music, drinks, singalong and unusual prizes.

With Big Beats Bingo numbers are replaced with songs and players mark off the tunes as they hear them.

You can see the high-energy atmosphere in this video

Playlists cover everything from country and rock to crooners and hip hop and the fun continues late into the night with a DJ after party.

6.30pm to 11.45pm, Saturday 21st March, Monkey Puzzle Restaurant, Ilfracombe.

Tickets: £12 with special drinks deals and free parking

NEW! Play UNSCRAMBLE to win a bottle of Exeter Gin

Week 2 of this month’s UNSCRAMBLE competition. Unscramble the letters below to find the name of a Devon town.

W O N D E R I N G T E S T

To enter simply REPLY to this email with your full name and your answer.

• Answer all 4 UNSCRAMBLES correctly during March (number 3 next week) for a chance to win. The winner will be selected randomly from correct entries and notified by email before 31st March.

• Still time to enter by replying to last week’s Go Devon! email.

• Entries only available by email reply, not the website post.

The mapping error that moved an ancient footpath

For centuries, medieval monks used waymark crosses to travel between Buckfast and Tavistock abbeys but a 19th century mapping error changed the route for “The Abbot’s Way”.

Inspired to follow the original path, local author Nick Pannell spent 4 years researching what he calls The Real Abbot’s Way.

He’s campaigning for Ordnance Survey maps to be amended so walkers can enjoy the fascinating history of the original route.

Hear Nick explain the story of The Real Abbot’s Way in an online Devon History Society talk at 7.30pm on Tuesday 17th March.

Tickets: £4

Devon Curiosities #98: Blackawton Worm Charming Festival

As weird and wacky events go, this one is up there with Devon’s finest.

The 40th Blackawton International Festival of Wormcharming takes place on Sunday 3rd May.

HISTORY: Is this some ancient ritual to celebrate nature? No, according to internet sources worm charming (or "worm grunting") originates from the need to collect fishing bait efficiently.

• It became a competitive sport and a magnet for barminess in the 1980s. The village of Blackawton near Dartmouth was among the first to create a fun community event.

• Charming involves making vibrations to encourage earthworms to the surface, mimicking the actions of moles and birds. Potions are used.

THE FESTIVAL: Register your team of three (a Charmerer, a Pickerer and a Counterer) at Worm HQ (near the George Inn).

• Separate categories for under 11s and adults. £5 per team.

• Each team gets a 1 yard x 1 metre wormcharming plot

• No digging or forking

• Fancy dress encouraged

• Profits to Devon Air Ambulance

Can you beat the record of 149 worms charmed in 1986?

MEMBER POLL

Last week’s result

Do you do the National Lottery?

• Yes - 40%

• No - 60%

crownhill selected no and wrote: “The only true winner is the operator!”

laura selected no and wrote: “I prefer to give money directly to charities of my own choosing.”

WHAT ELSE IS ON?

🌊 North Devon 

🐬 South Devon

🏆️ Get lucky! Win Devon leisure prizes

FEATURED: 🌊 A 2-night luxury stay at the pet-friendly South Devon cliff-top hideaway Gara Rock, near Salcombe, worth £1,000 (18th Mar)

NEW!  🏰 4 tickets to Watermouth Castle (15th Mar)

🌹 A Mother’s Day country escape on Dartmoor including a 1-night stay for 2, tea and cake on arrival, 4-course dinner and breakfast, plus a £500 luxury clothing gift voucher (15th Mar)

 👪️ A family ticket to Kent’s Cavern in Torquay (22nd Mar)

NEW! A 1-night B & B break for 2 people at the Future Inn, Plymouth (31st Mar)

NEW!  🦜 A bottle of Golden Spiced Rum from Torbay Distilling Company (31st Mar)

🏡 A £1.2m modern 4-bed family home in 10 acres of mid-Devon countryside (31st Mar)

🌺 A pair of VIP tickets to Toby’s Garden Festival at Powderham Castle, Exeter worth £200 (31st Mar)

NEW!  ⚓️ 2 nights at the recently refurbished Royal Castle Hotel, Dartmouth (2nd Apr)

Enter 6 more competitions here

Did you win something? Let me know

New member? Catch up here

⚓️ The mystery of the captain’s chamber pot

🌱 5,000 free packets of seeds

🎭️ High drama in wide open spaces

🎨 Spring arts & crafts near you

That’s all for this week. Thanks for being a member.

NEXT ISSUE   Boat Fest West

Andy, Esme and Lara