❤️ Hey Devon Luvvers,

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The world is your lobster at Plymouth Seafest

Enjoy fish and all things salty at this weekend’s annual celebration of the ocean.

Plymouth Seafest is free to attend and offers something for all ages from sampling fresh seafood to sea shanty bands and a children’s trail.

At Mount Batten, Tinside Lido and Mount Edgcumbe are taster sessions in scuba diving, sailing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and swimming.

At Royal William Yard there will be marine themed activities for all the family and opportunities to explore the waters of Firestone Bay.

If your dog is a swimmer don’t miss the Doggy Dip at Tinside Lido on Sunday afternoon.

Plymouth waterfront. Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th September.

Budleigh Literary Festival, celebrating books by the sea

There’s still time to grab tickets for the annual worshipping of words, books and ideas in South Devon next week.

Over 5 days there are nearly 70 sessions on topics from fiction and fashion, to crafts, gardening and history.

Catch Robert Harris on his latest novel Precipice, Iain Dale on how we allow dictatorships to happen, and join a booklovers’ wine-tasting to find just the right tipple whatever you’re reading.

Wednesday 18th to Sunday 22nd September. Various venues in Budleigh.

See the comedy stars of tomorrow in Exeter

With nearly 40 years experience and the premier name in comedy, The Comedy Store is renowned as a breeding ground for new talent.

With a track record of “discovering” Eddie Izzard, John Bishop, Jimmy Carr, Rhod Gilbert and Sarah Millican, this laughter brand can rightfully claim to be the place to see tomorrow’s stars today.

A visit will get you “the best in stand up” from around the globe, showcasing the brightest up and coming names.

Time Out said: “Still the greatest and most influential comedy club.”

Friday 29th November. Barnfield Theatre, Barnfield Road, Exeter, EX1 1SN

Tickets £16.50 to £22.50.

Gareth Gates sings Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons

The hit West End musical Jersey Boys proved the enduring success of the music and now Gareth Gates is taking it further.

Along with a cast of West End performers, he pays tribute to those four boys from Jersey with their unmistakable high pitched vocals, in a homage to their iconic sounds.

With songs like Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Sherry, My Eyes Adored You, and Oh, What a Night! this is a nostalgic journey back to a golden era of pop.

7.30pm, Tuesday 1st October. Queens Theatre, Barnstaple. Tickets from £39.

A popular pumpkin party at Pennywell Farm, Plymouth

It’s a great autumn day out with the grandchildren and Pennywell Farm are promising a bigger, better event than ever this year.

Open every day between Saturday 28th September and Sunday 3rd November, the emphasis is on play, fun and well, pumpkins.

Tickets get you access to the Pumpkin Patch, the Fabulously Fun Pumpkin Trail, Paddy the Pumpkin’s Games and Scarecrow Dress-Up Competition.

At half-term and weekends there is live music and marshmallow toasting

Countless Instagrammable moments. More details.

Pennywell Farm, Lower Dean, Buckfastleigh TQ11 0LT

Devon Curiosities #24: Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway

Go up or down, admire the views, and even have your wedding photos taken on this unique piece of Victorian engineering.

If you want to big up the experience to your friends you can mention it is the highest (500ft) and steepest totally water powered railway in the world.

The two carriages each carry 700 gallon water tanks. The lower one discharges water until the upper one is heavier and rolls down the track.

All controlled by drivers and brakes of course.

The cliff railway connects the two towns of Lynton and Lynmouth and has a Grade 2 listed cafe at the top offering Devon cream teas.

Open from February to early November. Adult each way ticket £3.50, child £2.20, large dog £1, lap dog free.

WHAT ELSE IS ON

🌊 North Devon

SEPTEMBER

Sat 14th

ANNIVERSARY | 🥂 Celebrate 200 years of the RNLI at their North Devon Coast Bicentenary Dinner | The Barnstaple Hotel, Barnstaple EX31 1LE | Tickets £59.21

FILM | 🍿 Outdoor Cinema screening of The Greatest Showman | The Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe EX34 9BZ | Free

Sat 14th to Sun 29th

NATURE | 🥾 Mid Devon Walking Festival | A variety of walks throughout the beautiful mid Devon countryside | Prices vary per event | Find locations and prices for each event here

Sat 28th

WINE | 🍷 Devon Vineyard Tour and Wine Tasting | Alder Vineyard, Lewdown, Okehampton EX20 4PJ | Tickets £15 per person | Other dates throughout September and October available

OCTOBER

Sat 5th

FILM | 🎦 Ocean Film Festival World Tour | The Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe EX34 9BZ | Tickets from £16.50

Sat 5th and Sun 6th

HARVEST | 🌽 Festival of Flavours at RHS Rosemoor | RHS Garden Rosemoor, Torrington EX38 8PH | General admission required for entry - Adult tickets £15.85, child £7.95

Sun 13th

CHALLENGE | 🏃‍♀️ Mission: Unbreakable 2024 - 10km Commando Course | North Molton Sports and Community Centre, South Molton EX36 3HG | Register here.

Tue 15th to Fri 18th

THEATRE | 🎭 Frankenstein | The Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe EX34 9BZ | Tickets from £29

Fri 25th

HALLOWEEN | 🎃 Hallowed Samhain celebration - A Pagan tradition | St Anne’s Art and Community Centre, Barnstaple EX31 1SX | Tickets £35

Sun 27th

REUSE | ♻️ Tiverton Salvage Fair | Tiverton Pannier Market, Tiverton EX16 6NH | Free

🐬 South Devon

SEPTEMBER

Sat 14th to Sun 22nd

FOOD & DRINK | 🍛 Taste East Devon Festival | Various locations, view the events map here and schedule here

Sat 14th to Sun 29th

NATURE | 🥾 Mid Devon Walking Festival | A variety of walks throughout the beautiful mid Devon countryside | Prices vary per event | Find locations and prices for each event here

Sun 15th 

MUSIC | 🪕 The Old Time Sailors | Steel Brew, Royal William Yard, Plymouth PL1 3GD | Tickets £20

OCTOBER

Thu 3rd

TALK | 🎤 An Evening with Sir Geoff Hurst | Exeter Northcott Theatre, Exeter EX4 4QB | Tickets from £32.50

Fri 4th to Sun 13th 

SCIENCE | 🧬 Sidmouth Science Festival | Variety of events throughout Sidmouth | To see the events, locations and prices follow the festival guide here

Thu 10th

TALK | 🗣️ The survival of the Amazon rainforest is under threat by Prof Sir Ghillean Prance | Plymouth Athenaeum, Plymouth PL1 2SW | Free

Thu 10th to Sat 12th

COMIC BALLET | 🩰 La Fille mal gardée performed by the Birmingham Royal Ballet | Theatre Royal, Plymouth PL1 2TR | Tickets from £37

Sat 12th and Sun 13th

GAMING | 🖥️ Comic Con and Gaming Festival | Westpoint Arena, Exeter EX5 1DJ | Adult tickets £13.76, U14s £9.54

Sat 19th

ECOSYSTEM | 🦀 Brixham Breakwater Beach Rockpooling | Learn all about aquatic wildlife from marine biologists | Bistro, Breakwater Beach, Brixham TQ5 9AF | Free

Tue 22nd

RELAX | 🧘‍♂️ Ashtanga yoga at the aquarium | National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth PL4 0LF | Tickets £10

🏆️ Win Devon prizes

We find 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:

🛏️ A 3-night weekend break for 2 at a Torquay leisure resort including breakfast, live entertainment, pool and spa (No closing date given)

🌊 A 2-night stay for 2 at Waterfront House, Dartmouth (No closing date given)

🏠️ A 3-night family cottage holiday with hot tub near Exmoor, worth £550. (No closing date given)

🍬 A Devon fudge gift box (15th Sep)

🫖 Afternoon tea for 2 at Lympstone Manor, Exmouth (17th Sep)

NEW!  🏇 5 paddock enclosure tickets for Newton Abbot Racecourse (23rd Sep)

🪙 A £250 holiday voucher and some attraction tickets (30th Sep)

🏰 A 2-night stay for 2 including breakfast and a 3-course evening meal and spa at the Boringdon Hall in Plymouth (30th Sep)

🧀 A cheese lover’s dream, a delicious 10-cheese hamper (30th Sep)

🛏️ An overnight stay with dinner at a dreamy Salcombe coastal hotel plus a local brewery tour (30th Sep)

NEW!  🛏️ An overnight stay for two at Cary Arms & Spa, Torquay including breakfast (8th Oct)

NEW!  🍸️ A bottle of vodka and vodka liqueur set of blueberry, raspberry, caramel and elderflower (8th Oct)

🪙 A £500 voucher for a South Devon holiday park holiday (17th Oct)

👨‍👨‍👧‍👦 A 2-night stay for up to 16 family and friends at a Devon farmhouse (31st Jan 2025)

That’s all for this week, but…

With Devon love,

Andy, Esme, Lara and the Go Devon! team