Events, Festivals & Arts

 

2012

  

January

  
Sun 1st and Mon 2nd
Various performances		  

Christmas Pantomime: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Queens Theatre, Barnstaple, North Devon.

Mirror, mirror on the wall... who is the fairest of them all? Snow White goes head to head with the Wicket Queen in this thrilling and enchaning tale of magic mirrors, poisoned apples and cheeky dwarfs. For many the extremely professionaly produced North Devon Theatres pantomimes are an essential part of the festive season. Guaranteed traditional fun and nostalgia... oh yes it is! See the North Devon Theatres website for pricing and times.
Thu 12th - North Devon Open Art Show, North Devon Museum, Barnstaple. An exiting show of recently produced work by local artists.  See the website for more.

February

  
Sat 11th - Sun 12th
11am - 4pm

Hartland Abbey Snowdrop Weekend, Hartland Abbey, Hartland, North Devon.  

Enjoy a wonderful day out in the snowdrops, some planted many hundreds of years ago. See the early daffodils, camellias, hellebores and spring flowers. This year you can choose to come on either the Saturday or the Sunday for the first time. Please do bring your dogs too; they love all the walks!

Children (under 5) free.  Over 5 £1.  Adults £3.50.  House open at extra charge
For further information please ring 01237 441234 or visit www.hartlandabbey.com  Hartland Abbey, Hartland, EX39 6DT
 

March

  
Sun 18th Mar
11am - 4pm

Hartland Abbey Daffodil Day and Mothering Sunday, Hartland Abbey, Hartland, North Devon.

Hartland Abbey is holding their Daffodil Day again this year on Mothering Sunday. It will be a lovely chance to come with the family to see the wonderful collection of historic daffodils, many planted 150 years ago. Please do bring your dogs too; they love all the walks!

Hot pasties, light lunches and cream teas available in aid of St. Nectans Church

Children (under 5) free.  Over 5 £1.  Adults £3.50.  House open at extra charge
For further information please ring 01237 441234 or visit www.hartlandabbey.com  Hartland Abbey, Hartland, EX39 6DT
 

April

  
Sun 22nd - Sun 29th
11am - 5pm

Hartland Abbey Blubell Week, Hartland Abbey, Hartland, North Devon.

Hartland Abbey will hold a ‘Bluebell Week’ this year to give everyone a chance to visit on a day of their choice, especially if the weather is variable! The legendary bluebells at Hartland Abbey stretch from the Walled Gardens to the sea.  Please do bring your dogs too; they love all the walks!

Hot pasties, light lunches and cream teas available in aid of St. Nectans Church

Children (under 5) free.  Over 5 £1.  Adults £3.50.  House open at extra charge
For further information please ring 01237 441234 or visit www.hartlandabbey.com  Hartland Abbey, Hartland, EX39 6DT
 
Fri 27th - Sun 6th May
Various walks and events		 North Devon & Exmoor Walking Festival, various venues, North Devon.  A fantastic array of walks of all descriptions celebrating the unparallelled walking in this fabulous part of the world. See the website for info.

May

  
Sat 5th - Sun 6th
Various events		 Clovelly Folk Festival, Clovelly, North Devon. A great weekend of musical fun with folk bands, buskers and Morris dancers.  Tickets £15 or Family Ticket £35.  See the website for full details. 
Sat 26th - Sun 27th
Various		 Clovelly Beer & Cider Festival, Clovelly, North Devon.  Enjoy a range of tasty local brews. These unique local ales and ciders are not industrially manufactured, but created with passion by small North Devon breweries.

So come along and raise a glass to support North Devon's brewers and cider makers. See the website for full details.
 

June

  
Fri 1st - Sat 30th
Various times and venues		 North Devon Festival, various venues North Devon.  A month long arts, crafts, performance and natural environment festival encompassing over 150 different events from beach events to ballet, sculptures to surf competitions, marathons to musicals there is something for the whole family... including the dog!  See the website for more info. 
Fri 1st - Tue 5th
Various times and venues		 Bude & Stratton Folk Festival, various venues, Bude, North Cornwall. An entirely acoustic festival (apart from the ceilidhs), the program offers a wide range of singers, dancers and musicians, which is why the event is fast gaining a reputation on the folk circuit as a great little festival to attend.  The organisers are committed to keeping the costs as low as possible so as many as possible can attend.  Camping is available.  See the website for more info.
Sat 2nd Clovelly Queen's Diamond Jubilee Street Party, Clovelly, North Devon.  A fabulous street party in this most picturesque of streets to celebrate this momentous royal occassion.  Normal admission applies, See the website for details.

Fri 16th - Sun 18th
Continuous events

 Gold Coast OceanFest, Croyde Bay, North Devon.  The biggest music and surf festival in the area. Three days of top bands, surf competitions, great food and even better vibe to turn the longest weekend of the year into the best weekend of year. http://www.goldcoastoceanfest.co.uk/

July

  
Sun 1st Shoreline Triathalon, Summerleaze Beach, Bude, North Cornwall.  The Shoreline Triathlon has built up a reputation as one of the best short course triathlons in the country and a rare event at which both serious athletes and those just 'having a go' can compete. The event starts with a 500m sheltered sea swim followed by an 11 mile cycle ride to Widemouth and back, finishing with a 3 mile run along the canal towpath and back to Summerleaze beach.  See the website for info and applications.
Sat 14th and Sun 15th
Dep 8am		 Gig Row to Lundy, Clovelly, North Devon. The row from Clovelly to Lundy and back across 32 miles of open seas is a huge test of endurance - depending upon the weather and tides it can take up to four hours. Pilots rowed these speedy craft out to ships, battling to be the first alongside to win the pilotage job. So come along and support the brave crews!

 Leaving Clovelly 8.00 am, arriving at Lundy about 11.00 am. Leaving Lundy about 1.00, arriving back at Clovelly about 4.00 pm

See the website for full details.
Sun 15th
10am - 5pm		 Clovelly Maritime Fesitval, Clovelly, North Devon.  This great day out is packed with attractions, including rousing shanty singers, Punch and Judy,
maritime themed entertainment, local stalls and more.

 

Enjoy fresh seafood or a succulent spit roast on the quay and delicious, fresh strawberry and cream teas at the New Inn.  In support of the North Devon Hospice.  See the website for more.
Mon 30th
From 10am		 Woolsery Agricultural Show at Clovelly Court, Clovelly, North Devon. Summer in North Devon would not be complete without a visit to this ever popular show.

Classes include crafts, cattle and sheep, together with horse and pony competitions. You'll find bustling trade and exhibition stands with stalls offering locally made crafts and food and fairground rides and a bouncy castle for the children.  It's a great summer day out for all the family!

See the website for more details.

August

  
Sat 4th - Sun 5th
From 10am		 Lifeboat Weekend in aid of the RNLI, Clovelly, North Devon. Held in aid of the RNLI, it is a popular celebration of the Clovelly Lifeboat, Spirit of Clovelly. The Lifeboat House will be open both days to the public.
On Saturday there'll be a sponsored swim from Bucks Mills to Clovelly. On Sunday enjoy a cross dressing-up race, a tug-of-war and the ever popular slave auction in which young local men are 'sold' to the highest bidder to do their chores for the day. With many local stalls, a cobble race, an auction of pledges, a lifeboat display and a helicopter flypast.
See the website for more info.
TBC Clovelly Gig Regatta, Clovelly, North Devon.

The West Country boasts a long tradition of racing pilot gigs. Gig racing is exciting, strenuous and often downright dangerous, with crews reaching speeds of 9 knots in North Devon's powerful tidal waters.

You're assured an exhilirating day's racing. Normal admission applies.  See the website for more.

September

  
Sun 2nd
10am - 5pm		 Lobster and Crab Feast, Clovelly Harbour, North Devon.  A tribute to Clovelly's famous lobsters and crabs with a day of live folk music, quay kitchens, beer tasting, local food stalls, prize draw, arts and crafts stalls. For the children there's face painting, a creative workshop and storytelling, walkabout magic, balloon modelling, street theatre and N. Devon A.O.N.B.'s event-themed craft activities.
Normal admission applies.  See the website for full details.

Sat 29th - Sun 7th Oct
Various venues

 Appledore Book Festival, Appledore, North Devon.  This most picturesque of villages draws some of the biggest writers and commentators in all genres.  See the website for this year's incredible line up.

November

  
Sun 18th
10am - 4pm		 Clovelly Herring Festival, Clovelly, North Devon.  Clovelly was once a major centre for herring fishing. This popular and extensively reviewed festival is held in support of sustainable fishing by traditional methods and to celebrate the herring, the Silver Darlings of the sea.

There'll be herring specialities, beer and cider, traditional shanty singers, street entertainment, local stalls and the N. Devon A.O.N.B. will provide event-themed, free craft activities.

Mike Smylie will return with his 'Kipperland' exhibition and smoke his delicious kippers and bloaters. There will also be net making, flax processing and a curragh on show provided by 'Flaxland', plus local stalls.

See the website for more info, videos and reviews.

December

  

Sun 2nd
3.30pm onwards

 Christmas is a magical time at Clovelly. Imagine the scene: it's dusk in the village street and there's an excited crowd of villagers and visitors.  At about 4 p.m. you join a procession, headed by a local brass band, snaking its way down the cobbles towards the harbour and Christmas carols are sung. Then comes the moment everyone has been waiting for; at around 5 p.m. the entire village and harbour are lit up with brilliantly coloured lights.  A hog roast, punch and mince pies follow and Father Christmas makes a surprise visit.   
It's a fantastic sight and there is a grand finale of fireworks to finish off.  See the website for more information.

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Listings, Theatre, Cinema

For the latest theater and cinema listings, and events guides in the wider area, click below.

Antiques Roadshow at Hartland Abbey 7th July, image courtesy of BBC

 

2011/12 Event Highlights