COMING UP: A knighted rock legend on an unusually intimate UK tour.

Deckchairs pitched underground for a murder mystery.

A very unexpected brick kiln hiding in Barnstaple.

Yours in Devon,

Devon gets a few big pop star visits and lots of tribute bands. Global rock legends? Not so many.

That’s why Sir Van Morrison playing in Plymouth and Torquay in October is something special, and worth paying more than you usually would for a night out.

His London shows this year are sold out and a resale ticket, plus the travel cost, could set you back £300.

And local fans have had a long wait. The recently knighted Sir Van (Sir George Ivan Morrison to use his proper moniker) was last in Plymouth in 2017.

7pm, Tuesday 27th October, Plymouth Arena. Tickets from £74.80 to £100.55

7pm, Wednesday 28th October, Princess Theatre, Torquay. Tickets £59.70 to £112.29

This is a 1-day food festival on an organic farm.

Shillingford Organics, just outside Exeter, is opening up to celebrate local farming, seasonal produce and its producers.

Their Devon’s Harvest Festival on 5th September includes:

10am to 4pm, Saturday 5th September, Barton Lane, Exeter. Tickets: £7.75 to £44.04

It’s on a village cricket green in South Devon. Just right if you want a festival with good tunes that also supports humanitarian causes.

Aish Fest in Stoke Gabriel near Totnes is 2 days of ska, rock and soul with crowd-pleasing Elton John and Oasis tributes. All to raise money for children and families in urgent need around the world.

There are camping options if you fancy making a weekend of it, and free parking.

Friday 4th and Saturday 5th September, Stoke Gabriel cricket ground. Tickets: Fri £9.38, Sat £18.34, weekend £25.

ACCESS: Wheelchair access.

Everyone’s running festivals, so RHS Rosemoor has turned its long-running annual flower show into one too.

This year it’s a 3-day event, mixing plant knowledge, food and live music with Rosemoor’s late summer colour.

Heavyweight gardening talkers include wildlife gardener Kate Bradbury and Gardeners’ World’s Toby Buckland.

Plus:

10am to 5pm, Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd August. RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington. Tickets: £15.70 advance. £17.40 on the day.

You’d be hard pushed to steep yourself in more atmosphere for a film.

It’s an Agatha Christie murder mystery. In the dark, underground in the chilling caves of Kents Cavern, Torquay. Warm layers advised!

Then There Were None is the 1945 classic about 10 strangers gathering at an isolated mansion who one-by-one start mysteriously popping off. Whodunnit?

6pm, Tuesday 15th September. Tickets: £16. Free on-site parking, subject to space.

What type of live music are you most likely to go and see?

Go Devon! readers love a wide range of music!

Kim picked Rock / Pop, and commented: “Rock and pop appeals to all age groups and walks of life.”

Richard chose Rock / Pop, and added: “I like metal, punk, and classic rock.”

Les selected Jazz / Blues and said: “Just blues within 10 miles of Dawlish.”

A giant brick Dalek has landed in Barnstaple.

Tucked away at Brannam Square, off Litchdon Street, is one of the town’s most surprising survivors: the old Brannam Pottery bottle kiln.

Back in the day Brannam was a name in distinctive decorative pottery, receiving an order from Queen Victoria in 1885, and famous for Royal Barum Ware.

The pottery eventually moved, but this extraordinary exhibit survived, sitting next to Brannam Medical Centre. Location here

This was one of 5 kilns, probably built in the early 20th century and still working into the 1990s.

MAKE A DAY OF IT: See the kiln then stroll down to the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon to see their rare collection of local pottery.

Try the independent Feel Good Larder for coffee, cakes and colourful homemade lunches, or Block on Butchers Row for brunch or something more substantial.

ACCESS: The museum is wheelchair accessible, with a lift, accessible toilets on every floor and two disabled parking bays.

FEATURED: 🍻 A week-long stay for 4 including a dog at Hazelwood Holiday Park, Dawlish Warren, with £80 of food and drink vouchers, plus a Bays Brewery beer bundle (25th Aug)

♨ A 2-night spa break in a wellness room at Boringdon Hall including a complimentary breakfast and 60-minute treatment per person (21st Aug)

🌊 A spa day by the sea including hot stone massage, facial, pool, sauna and steam room at Shaldon, South Devon. EX and TQ postcodes only. (31st Aug)

🍓 A bumper cream tea and BBQ chutney bundle (31st Aug)

NEW! 🍺 A 24-can Powderkeg beer bundle and a pint glass (1st Sep)

🐮 A weekend North Devon farm stay for 6 people and 2 dogs at Collaton Farm, Kings Nympton, worth £850 (9th Sep)

🫒 A 2-night stay for 2 with dinner at the award-winning Millbrook Inn, Kingsbridge, plus a foodie hamper (13th Sep)

NEW! A £250 Royal Horticultural Society voucher - scroll to the bottom of the page to enter (11th May 2027)

NEW! 🦀 A 2-night weekend cottage stay near Salcombe for up to 10 people worth £1,225 (no closing date given)

Want more competitions? Click here

Did you win something? Let me know

🧭 Six Devon Adventures

🎵 Live at the Amphitheatre

🌺 Private Devon Gardens open in August

🚢 Rock the Torridge

🦇 Brutus, Bandamonium and Bats

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

NEXT ISSUE Orpheus in the Underworld

Andy, Esme and Lara