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A breathless week of folk celebrations in Sidmouth

Steeleye Span, Fisherman’s Friends and George Hinchliffe’s Ukulele Orchestra open a non-stop week of action at the 70th Sidmouth Folk Festival.

More than 700 events are packed in (that’s 100 a day): concerts, ceilidhs, folk dances, children’s festival, storytelling, workshops and displays all over the town.

Stay in the centre for regular free performances big and small as well as Morris Dancing and parades. Over at Blackmore Gardens see workshops for music, crafts, circus skills, theatre and games.

You might get tickets for Ralph McTell (Streets of London) in the Ham Marquee or Mad Dog Mccrea in The Bulverton.

See the line-up here, and download the taster programme here.

Individual event tickets range from free to £37 (lower or held at 2023 prices).

Friday 2nd to Friday 9th August.

A garden lost for decades is re-emerging

The enchanting Italian Garden at Great Ambrook, neglected for decades, is open for guided tours this August and September.

With a heritage fund grant, a 3-year restoration project is underway to uncover a walled secret garden of pools, terraces and garden structures, all hidden away near the village of Ipplepen in South Devon.

Created by Arthur Graham between 1909 and 1912, The Italian Garden is a rare example of an early 20th Century designed landscape, but was neglected from the 1960s.

Explore the garden, see the work of the volunteers, and learn about its unique story.

Tickets: £8.83

From 2pm to 4pm. Various dates. Great Ambrook Avenue, Ipplepen TQ12 5UL

The Bat is back

Yes, it’s all the old tunes to sing along to from the 1977 album with a live 8-piece rock band.

Tickets are on sale soon for the stage musical of the classic album, one of the best selling in history.

Bat Out of Hell was in Plymouth in 2022 and this updated show is the successful version that toured Australia and New Zealand.

Get ready with your lyrical tributes to the sadly departed Meat Loaf as you reminisce to Paradise By The Dashboard Light, Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad, Dead Ringer For Love, I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That), and of course Bat Out of Hell.

Monday 12th to Saturday 17th May 2025, Theatre Royal Plymouth

A week of dolphin and whale watching

Join in National Whale and Dolphin Watch 2024 by helping out at some of the watch points in north and south Devon.

From Monday 29th July to Sunday 4th August hundreds of volunteers will be identifying and counting whales and dolphins to aid their conservation.

In 2022, there were more than 12,000 sightings nationwide, with the most likely to be seen the harbour porpoise, common dolphin and minke whale.

Watches are organised for the following places in Devon: Capstone Point and Mortehoe, Ilfracombe | Hurlestone Point, Bossington | Heddon’s Mouth Beach, Heddon Valley | Berry Head, Brixham.

Enjoy August and September country shows

Enjoy the traditional displays and wonders of Devon country life plus special local touches at a choice of 7 country shows in August and September.

Honiton: Thursday 1st August. Shetland Pony Performance Display Team and donkey rides. Stockers Farm, Gittisham EX14 3AW. Tickets: Adult £18 in advance, £20 on the day. Children U16 free accompanied by an adult.

North Devon: Wednesday 7th August. Alpacas and Valais Blacknose sheep, free clay laser shooting, ferret racing and archery. Umberleigh Barton, Umberleigh EX37 9DX. Tickets: Adult £18, child 5-15 £3, family £38.

Okehampton: Thursday 8th August. Dartmoor’s largest agricultural show with more than 60 classes of horses. Stoney Park Showground EX20 1SW. Tickets: Adult £15, child U16 free with an adult.

Chagford: Thursday 15th August. Dog race, 300 trade stands. Dogmarsh Fields, Mill End TQ13 8JN. Tickets: Adult £15, child £5.

Holsworthy & Stratton: Thursday 22nd August. Red Ruby Devon cattle, showjumping and Space Hopper racing. Tickets: Adult £14.50, child U16 £5, family £40.

Lustleigh: Monday 26th August. Climbing wall and circus skills training, thatching and dry stone walling. Kelly Farm TQ13 9SW. Tickets: Adult £10, child U14 £4, family £25.

Kingsbridge: Saturday 7th September. Quad bike stunts, Pony Club games and terrier racing. Borough Farm TQ9 7QP Advance tickets: Adult £12.50, child 11-16 £3, child U11 free.

Devon Curiosities #17: Britain’s oldest catflap?

OK, it’s more of a cat hole than a cat flap, but records show it goes back more than 400 years.

Historians at Exeter Cathedral have proof that a carpenter was paid to cut a cat hole in the doorway above in 1598.

The assumption is that the hole was to encourage cats into a space that housed a large clock mechanism.

The clock workings were greased with animal fat, which attracted rats and mice, hence the need for a feline police force with their own entrance.

Account books reveal one cat was paid a penny a week (in food) to keep up the good work.

WHAT ELSE IS ON

🌊North Devon

JULY

Thu 25th to Fri 26th

FAMILY FUN | 🏰 Barnstaple’s Inflatable Theme Park 2024 | Rock Park EX32 9AQ | Adult entry free, children £8

Sun 28th

ENVIRONMENT | 🌊Woolacombe Beach Clean | Mill Rock, Woolacombe EX34 7HL | Free

AUGUST

Fri 9th

ANIMALS | 🕷️ Exmoor Zoo creatures up close at RHS Rosemoor | RHS Garden Rosemoor, Torrington EX38 8PH | Adults free, U16s £3 - General admission into the garden is also required

Sun 11th

TRANSPORT SHOW | 🚗 The North Devon Festival of Transport 2024 | Victoria Park, Bideford EX39 2QQ | Entry £5 per person

Sun 18th

WILDLIFE | 🐚 Summer Rockpool Rambles | Combesgate Beach, Woolacombe EX34 7EB | Tickets £5 | Other alternative dates from July to September

Fri 30th to Sun 1st Sept

MUSIC | 🎤 On the Road Music Festival | Saunton Road, Braunton EX33 1HG | Adult tickets from £30, U18s tickets from £10

Sat 31st

ROWING | 🚣‍♀️ Clovelly Gig Regatta | Clovelly Harbour, Bideford EX39 5TF

SEPTEMBER

Sun 1st

007 | 🍸 The James Bond Concert Spectacular | Queen’s Theatre, Barnstaple EX31 1SY | Tickets from £32.50

Sun 8th

CHALLENGE | 🏊 Bideford Triathlon 2024 | The Quay, Bideford EX39 2EY | Register here

Fri 13th to Sun 22nd

LITERATURE | 📕 Appledore Book Festival | Events across a variety of locations in Appledore EX39 | Tickets on sale from 27th July | Look at the line up here.

🐬South Devon

AUGUST

Fri 2nd to Sun 4th

HERITAGE | 🚂 Torbay Steam Fair | Kennels Showfields, Churston Ferrers, Brixham TQ5 0JT | Adult tickets £12.50, U17s £5

Sat 3rd

FUN DAY OUT | 🥂 Party on the Patio | China Blue, Totnes TQ9 5JR | Adult entry £2.50, U12s free

Wed 7th

TALK | 🗣️ Joe Pasquale: The New Normal | Palace Theatre, Paignton TQ3 3HF | Tickets £25

Sat 17th

ENTERTAINMENT | 🔥 Fire Fest | Fire walking, animal talks and a performance from Mad Dog Mcrea | Dartmoor Zoo, Plymouth PL7 5DG | Tickets from £20

Mon 19th

DRINK | 🍷 VINOYASA Wine Tasting | Jenkins Quay, Bantham | Tickets £39

Sat 24th

MARINE LIFE | 🐟 Snorkel Safari with the Ocean Conservation Trust | Mount Batten, Plymouth PL9 9XH | Adult tickets £25, children (12-16) £22.50

Wed 28th to Sat 31st

ROWING | 🚣‍♀️ Dartmouth Royal Regatta | Priory Street, Kingswear, Dartmouth TQ6 0AB | Free

Thu 29th to Sun 1st Sept

ENTERTAINMENT | 🐎 Festival of the Iberian Horse | Westpoint Centre, Clyst St Mary, Exeter EX5 1DJ | Daytime tickets from £8, evening shows from £35

SEPTEMBER

Wed 4th to Sun 8th

THEATRE | 🎭 SIX the Musical | Theatre Royal, Plymouth PL1 2TR | Tickets from £45

Fri 6th

FOOD AND DRINK | 🌮 Beer Eats Boutique - Street Food Market | South West Coast Path, Seaton EX12 3NE

🏆️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 2-night stay for 2 at Soar Mill Cove Hotel, Salcombe worth £865 (28th Jul)

🌊 A luxurious 2-night break at a Devon coastal hotel (29th Jul)

🏰 A 2-night stay in Watermouth Castle – with unlimited entry to the theme park (30th Jul)

🍸️ Win a Thunderflower distillery tour and tasting for two (31st Jul)

⛳️ Lunch plus fitness and swim membership for 2 at Exeter Golf & Country Club (31st Jul)

🍾 A luxury 2-night stay at Thurlestone Hotel, South Devon (5th Aug)

🎣 A 2-night stay at a Venn Lakes lodge with private hot tub and fishing included for experienced anglers (6th Aug)

NEW!  💷 A £75 voucher for an Exmouth beach bar and restaurant ( 13th Aug)

🫧 A luxury summer spa retreat at Boringdon Hall, Plymouth (19th Aug)

🛏️ A 2-night bed and breakfast break at the Redcliffe Hotel, Paignton (30th Aug)

🍏 A Devon food adventure bundle: thatched inn stay, cider tour, £135 bakery voucher, distillery tour, flapjack box (31st Aug)

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

Got a competition? Let us know

That’s all for this week, but…

With Devon love,

Andy, Esme, Lara and the Go Devon! team