👋 Hi Devon Friends,

Welcome to Go Devon!, a weekly newsletter with fun, interesting and unique things to do in Devon. Thanks for being here!

Today we’re starting a new weekly series called Devon Curiosities, highlighting some of the unique and unusual places you might not know about.

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Typhoon fighter jet joins English Riviera Air Show

Jets, historic aircraft and skydivers take over the skies at Paignton for a free summer spectacular that attracts around 200,000 people.

Torbay’s natural amphitheatre provides a stunning location for the classic line up of The RAF Red Arrows, RAF Typhoon and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight of the Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane.

In what is the first first airshow in the UK season, spectators can enjoy a fun weekend with a fair, carnival and food stalls on Paignton Green and the chance to talk to expert teams from the RAF, Royal Navy and Army.

On the water why not try a RIB ride or ferry trip across the bay for a different view of the action? Take in the show’s atmosphere (video).

Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd June. The Red Arrows are only appearing on the Saturday.

Green Man celebrations in Bovey Tracey and Ilfracombe

Bovey Tracey celebrates everything spring-like on Saturday 27th April with a Green Man festival, live music in the square and Morris troupes aplenty.

The parade led by the Green Man, his Twiglet and the May Queen starts at 11am.

Witness the defoliation of the Green Man as he makes way for his successor for the following year. Free.

The annual Jack-in-the-Green event in Ilfracombe is all about releasing the spirit of summer in a green clad procession.

Giant Brigid, a manifestation of growth and renewal, is joined by her partner, Bres, and a new tree giant, Thorne, acompanied by drummers.

You can join in (turn up wearing something green) or just watch as the parade makes its way from the town to the seafront on Sunday 5th May.

At the Clapping Circle they dance the May Pole, then Jack will be stripped of his leafy coverings to welcome the new season. Free.

Sensual fire and envy in Bizet’s Carmen

An evening of passion, sexual jealousy, death, and unforgettable opera is promised by an award-winning production of Carmen in Torquay.

Bizet’s masterpiece tells the story of a hopeless soldier, Don José, seduced by Carmen, a fiery gypsy woman with an appetite for smuggling. Leaving his childhood sweetheart and turning his back on the military, the opera follows José in his pursuit of Carmen's attention.

The Ellen Kent Production has a full orchestra and international soloists singing in the original French with English subtitles.

Hear the famous Carmen melodies including Habanera (video),The Toreador and Flower Song, in a set evoking the architecture of Seville.

Princess Theatre, Torbay Road TQ2 5EZ

7.30pm, Wednesday 17th April. Tickets from £16.80

Meet Miranda in The Devil Wears Prada - The Musical

A musical version of The Devil Wears Prada film, written by Elton John, is coming Plymouth in July BEFORE hitting the West End.

Vanessa Williams, best known for her TV roles in Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives, plays Miranda Priestly (video), the demanding editor of Runway Magazine.

Fresh out of college, aspiring journalist Andy sacrifices her personal life to meet Miranda’s impossible demands, yet finds herself seduced by the glamorous world she inhabits.

How far will she go to succeed… and will it be worth selling her soul to get what she’s always wanted?

Theatre Royal Plymouth. Saturday 6th July to Saturday 17th August. Tickets from £27

The best fiddle players of a generation come to Exeter

Feast of Fiddles must be doing something right.

Formed 30 years ago for a one-off, the band have since completed 28 tours, 26 festivals and recorded 7 albums.

Not bad for a bunch of old folk-rockers.

Their show covers a large range of styles “performed with passion, joy and fun” and here they are fiddling Pirates of the Carribean a few years ago.

“Britain’s fiddling supergroup” says Mark Radcliffe of BBC Radio 2. “The best fiddle players of a generation” says Ian Anderson.

Exeter Corn Exchange, Market Street, EX1 1BW. Monday 8th April. 7.30pm. Tickets £22.50

Devon Curiosities #1: Wistman’s Wood

A mysterious, magical place tucked away in a Dartmoor valley, Wistman’s Wood is something of an enigma.

Why is an oak wood, with trees possibly 500 years old, still standing amid a barren moorland landscape?

The oaks are stunted and contorted into peculiar and unusual dwarf versions, growing in a jumble of rocks on the side of the West Dart valley.

Damp conditions mean more than 120 species of of mosses and lichens grow there including one that is only found in 2 sites in Britain.

According to Wikipedia the name Wistman's Wood may come from the dialect word "wisht", meaning "eerie or uncanny" or "pixie-led and haunted."

There’s a small car park opposite the Two Bridges Hotel, on the B3212 just north east of Princetown.

The footpath from the car park to the wood and back is about 4km and takes about an hour.

Listings

🌊 North Devon 

APRIL

Sat 6th

FOOD | 🌽 Eat Festival | Try some of the West Country’s best food and drink | Bideford Quayside EX39 2EY | Free

SEA CHARITY | ⚓️ RNLI Appledore Race Night | St Mary’s Church, Appledore EX39 1RL | Tickets £6.13

Sun 7th

FAMILY FUN | 🌼 Spring Family Rave | Crafts, games and more! | The Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe EX34 9BZ | Tickets £5

Tue 9th

CAMERA SKILLS | 📷 Sunset Photography Walk with Mark Johnson | Woolacombe Down EX34 7DL | Tickets £5

Wed 24th

BALLET | 🩰 Royal Opera House screening of Swan Lake | The Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe EX34 9BZ | Tickets from £14

MAY

Sat 11th

CHARITY WALK | 🚶80s themed Nightwalk for North Devon Hospice | Barnstaple Rugby Club EX31 1JH | Adult tickets £21.92, children (11-17) £11.26

Sun 12th

FREE NATURAL FOOD | 🍄 Foraging course | Bulworthy Forest Lodges, Bideford EX39 4PU | Adult tickets £60, U16s £30

Thu 16th

HONEY | 🐝 Beekeeping Experience Day | Quince Honey Farm, South Molton EX36 3RD | Tickets £175

Fri 31st

FILM | 📽️ Outdoor cinema screening Top Gun | Arlington Court, Barnstaple EX31 4LP | Tickets from £16.98

JUNE

Fri 21st to Sun 23rd

FESTIVAL | ☀️ GoldCoast Oceanfest 2024 | Croyde Beach, Braunton EX33 1NZ | Adult weekend tickets £99.25, children (6-17) £88.25

🐬 South Devon

APRIL

Until Sun 21st

PHOTOGRAPHY | 📷 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition | Seaton Tramway, Harbour Road EX12 2WD | Adult tickets £6.80, U16s free

Sat 6th

BOXING | 🥊 A night of boxing contests at the Plymouth Life Centre | 40 Mayflower Drive PL2 3DG | Tickets £33.22

Thu 18th

CLASSICAL MUSIC | 🎻 Candlelight Concert | Vivaldi’s Four Seasons performed by the London Concertante | Exeter Cathedral, EX1 1HS | Tickets from £22.38

Sat 20th to Sun 21st

PET ART | ✏️ A two day pet portrait workshop with Sally Holt | Ocean Studios, Royal William Yard, Plymouth PL1 3RP | Tickets £95.71

Tue 23rd

SOCIAL HISTORY | ⚓️ A presentation by Dr Cathryn Pearce on the Shipwreck Imposters | Lecture Theatre, Roland Levinsky Building, Plymouth PL4 8AA | Tickets £6

Sat 27th

VEGAN FOOD | 🌯 Plymouth Vegan Market 2024 | Central Park PL2 3DG | Free

Sun 28th 

LAMBING | 🐑 Feed lambs and meet the new calves and piglets this spring | Martinsfield Farm, Exeter EX5 3JH | Adult tickets £5, children free.

MAY

Thu 16th to Sat 18th

FARMING AND COUNTRY | 🎪 Devon County Show | Westpoint, Clyst St Mary, Exeter EX5 1DJ | Adult tickets £20, U16s £7.50

Fri 17th to Sun 19th

BIG WHEELS | 🚛 Devon Truck Show 2024 | Smeatharpe Airfield, Honiton EX14 4SP | Adult day tickets £15.50, child £7.50

Fri 24th to Sun 26th

BEACH GAMES | 🏉 Exmouth Beach Rugby & Netball Festival | Exmouth Beach EX8 2AY | Enter a team here

🏆️ 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 champagne afternoon tea at a top Plymouth hotel (No date given)

New!  🍎 A Devon Red cider mini keg and a box of Chunk pasties! (9th April)

🍾 3 bottles of English sparkling wine and a vineyard tour (18th April)

🍇 One of 4 vineyard tours and lunch for 2 with Dartmoor views (19th April)

 🐕️ A 3-night stay in an eco-conscious, dog-friendly luxury lodge, with up to 4 guests, and a welcome hamper for humans and canines. (21st April)

🏇 2 four-day tickets to the Bicton International Horse Trials, a food hamper and free camping pass on 23-26 May (25th April)

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 1 of 4 amazing 2024 family park holidays (30th April)

New!  🌊 A 2-night stay at the luxury Gara Rock resort (1st May)

🏡 An escape to a newly refurbished cottage in South Devon (10th May)

 🍷 A one‑night stay for two in a boutique North Devon venue and pub, a three‑course dinner for two and a farm tour worth a total of £375. (15th May)

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 invite them to subscribe here so they can keep up with Devon events and competitions.

With Devon love,

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