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Nostagia and fun at Torbay Steam Fair

Torbay Steam Fair is the second biggest outdoor event in the county after the Devon County Show, attracting thousands.

The 3-day steam celebration has been going for 40 years and includes vintage cars, commercial vehicles, motorbikes, military vehicles, tractors, stationary engines, and fairground rides.

For kids there’s magic shows, disco and face painting. For adults, its live music and a bar and something described as “pig racing” with cash prizes. Real pigs?

Camping is available within short drives of the showground.

Fri 2nd to Sun 4th August. Kennels Showfields, Dartmouth Road, Churston Ferrers, Brixham TQ5 0JT

Early bird tickets available until 27th July.

She’s a right battleaxe, or so she says

TV comedian and actress Katherine Ryan brings her sharp and provocative brand of humour to Plymouth Pavilions next year.

Star of the new TV series Parental Guidance and Comedy Central’s upcoming Out of Order, the Irish-Canadian has named her tour Battleaxe, confirming her edgy credentials.

Two of her stand-up specials are available on Netflix and you can get a good taste of her cutting jokes here (video).

8pm, Saturday 1st March 2025. Tickets from £32.68

The thrill of the Raptor ride

It’s the acceleration that takes your breath away and it’s required that you hold on throughout the trip.

The surge is coming from a triple bank of 300 horsepower engines growling away behind you.

Thankfully, the skippers make plenty of stops so you can get your breath back.

Take lots of layers for the wind chill and don’t step aboard if you have neck or back problems. Safety briefing and lifejackets supplied.

It’s £40 for 30 minutes, weather permitting, and available 7 days a week.

Torquay Watersports, MDL Marina, Vaughan Road, Torquay TQ2 5EQ

More details and video here.

(If you want something a bit slower the company does a coastal boat tour)

When a tent is more like a hotel

Leather sofas, woodburners, proper dining furniture and beds with mattresses. You only know it’s a tent because there’s some canvas stuff somewhere above your head.

Welcome to award-winning luxury glamping where a relaxing enjoyable break means no hard ground under your roll mat, no condensation dripping off your inner tent and no tripping over those pesky guy lines.

Lower Keats Farm Luxury Glamping won a Devon Tourism Award last year and got a priceless video review from actress Nadine Sawalha and family who stayed recently.

Located in the Axe Valley in East Devon, the site has wildflower meadows, pigs, lambs, chickens and ducks and of course, hot tubs.

Broom Lane, Axminster EX13 7AZ

The last horse drawn barge in Devon

You could easily spend a day making memories at the Tiverton Canal, whether you love local history, rowing boats, horses, canal walks or just sitting and enjoying the wildlife.

The beautiful Grand Western Canal and nature reserve is the setting for rare canal life heritage, with the crew of family-owned Tiverton Canal Company dressing in bygone clothing and Shire horses at the ready for trips.

Take out a rowing boat or Canadian canoe, relax in The Ducks’ Ditty floating bar, and browse the gift shop in a former stable.

Open every day except Monday and Friday between April and October | Fridays too in August | Trips from £18.55 adult, £14.55 child. See the timetable.

Devon Curiosities #15: Dingles Fairground Museum

This year is your last chance to see this tribute to fairground nostalgia in Devon.

Dingles is closing after the 2024 season due to higher rents and the financial challenges of running a tourist attraction on a remote site.

The collection spans from the 1800s including original dodgems, a brightly painted galloper roundabout, a rodeo switchback plus transport and living wagons, fairground stalls and prizes.

Most of the exhibits are being taken to a museum in Staffordshire.

The owners said: “We warmly invite all past visitors, enthusiast friends and preservationists to come and see us for one final season.”

Milford Lifton near Launceston PL16 0AT

WHAT ELSE IS ON

🌊 North Devon 

JULY

Fri 19th to Sun 21st

FOOD & DRINK | 🌯 Devon Street Food Festival | Braunton Recreational Ground EX33 2HA | Free

Thu 25th to Fri 26th

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

Sat 27th

COUNTRY SHOW | 🐴 Mid Devon Show | Knightshayes, Chettiscombe EX16 7RG | Adult tickets £18, U15s free

Mon 29th

COUNTRY SHOW | 🐷 Woolsery & District Agricultural Show | Clovelly Court EX39 5SY | Adult tickets £10, U16s £2.00

AUGUST

Sun 4th 

COMMUNITY | 🏘️ Mortehoe Scarecrow Festival | Mortehoe Museum, Woolacombe EX34 7DT

Fri 9th

CRAFTS | 🖼️ Summer Art Show | Instow Village Hall, Bideford EX39 4JR | Free entry

Sun 11th

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

Sun 18th

MODELLING | 🛩️ North Devon Model Show | Park Community School, Barnstaple EX32 9AX | Adults £4, U17s £1

Sun 25th

CARNIVAL | 🎉 Ilfracombe Carnival | Procession starts at Hillsborough Car Park EX34 9QN | Free

🐬 South Devon

JULY

Sat 13th to Sun 14th

DANCE MUSIC | 🎉 Electric Bay Festival | Torre Abbey Gardens, Torquay TQ2 5JE | Tickets from £39.90

Fri 19th to Sun 21st

MUSIC & ARTS | 🪩 Exmouth Festival | EX8 1DG | Free

MUSIC & ARTS | 🎨 Princetown Arts Festival | PL20 6QF | Free

Sat 27th

COMMUNITY | 🧺 Picnic in the Park | Mill Marsh Park, Bovey Tracey TQ13 9NB | Free

Sun 28th

COUNTRY SHOW | 🐮 Totnes and District Show | Great Court Farm, Berry Pomeroy TQ9 6LE | Adult tickets £15, U16s £2.50, family £35

Wed 31st

COUNTRY SHOW | 🦆 Yealmpton Agricultural Show | Kitley Lawns, Yealmpton PL8 2NN | Adult tickets £14, U17s £4

AUGUST

Fri 2nd

MUSIC TRIBUTE | 🎤 Ed Sheeran Experience | Steel Brew, Royal William Yard, Plymouth PL1 3DG | Tickets £22.38

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

Thu 8th to Sun 11th

FARMING | 🐕 English National Sheepdog Trials 2024 | Moorlands Farm, Princetown PL20 6SA | Adults £10, U16s free

Fri 9th

SKILLS | 📸 Photography Course at Dartmoor Zoo | Plymouth PL7 5DG | Tickets £180

🏆️ Win Devon prizes

We find Devo n prize competitions so you don’t have to.

Closing dates in brackets. Terms and conditions apply, see individual websites for details.

You could win:

NEW! A family self-catering staycation worth £300 at 1 one of 4 Parkdean holiday centres (no closing date given).

🛏️ A 2-night stay for two guests at Waterfront House in Dartmouth (no closing date given)

🍓 A 7-night caravan holiday in Devon (or Cornwall) worth £1,500 with John Fowler Holidays (no closing date given)

🏖️ A week's holiday at luxury holiday apartments, Hope Cove, for up to 6 people worth £2,550 (no closing date given)

🍷 A case of British wine from Lyme Bay Winery in the Axe Valley (Today, 11th Jul)

🌊 A dreamy night's stay at the Mercure Paignton for 2 people (Today, 11th Jul)

🥓 A 2-night stay for two people including breakfast and dinner at the Rising Sun, Lynmouth (Tomorrow 12th Jul)

NEW!  🌳 A treehouse retreat holiday worth £500 and a £500 Fat Face voucher (Saturday 13th Jul)

🎫 A family of 4 ticket to a Devon attraction worth £100 (16th Jul)

⛺️ A 2-night camping pitch on an eco campsite in Kingsbridge (18th Jul)

🌳 A 3-night stay at the Mole Resort, Umberleigh in a 2-bed lodge for 4 people (23rd Jul)

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

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

NEW!  🍸️ 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)

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