The Ultimate Guide to Summer Festivals in Devon

Festival season is upon us and Devon has once again come up trumps with the goods. There’s  a healthy kick of nostalgia on the music front - think Jason Donavon, Bryan Adams, UB40W, plus an abundance of folk, gospel choir and everything in between. But it’s not just about the music - there are festivals dedicated to  comedy, crafts, food, dogs -  whatever your jam, there’s a festival in Devon to suit your every desire. Let’s get stuck in!

7 - 8 June

EXETER COMEDY FESTIVAL

This festival is the brainchild of Will Adamsdale (Perrier Award Winner), and Spencer Jones (Herbert Clunkerdunk, Upstart Crow), two comedians and old friends, who separately made the move from London to Devon at the height of the Covid pandemic. The line-up includes Mike Wozniak and Josie Long, as well as homegrown talent such as Alex Kitson. 

www.exetercomedyfestival.com

7 June - 24 August (various dates)

THE BIG SHEEP MUSIC FESTIVALS

Head north, by that we mean Bideford, to this beautiful rural spot which is hosting festivals all summer long, with a vibe the organisers call ‘wholesome hedonism’. There’s a lot to choose from: Here for the Music festival (7-9 June); Cider and Real Ale Music Festival (6 July); Teachers Rock (13 July); Summer Sessions (28 July); August Bank Holiday Music Festival featuring Chris Moyles and (23-24 August). Expect loads of great local nosh and drinks, and a vibrant but rural atmosphere. You’re also ten minutes from the beach so you can wash away the hangover in the waves, plus it’s really good value with weekend tickets around the £80 mark. Tickets free- £80.

www.thebigsheep.co.uk

8- 9 June

EXETER RESPECT FESTIVAL

The aim of this much-loved city festival is to bring communities together to celebrate their differences and commonalities. Once again, the festival will take place at Belmont Park and this year’s theme is ‘Friendship Through Diversity’. On the Mandela Stage, The South African Cultural Gospel Choir UK are Saturday’s headliners with Shumba Tribe headlining on Sunday. Exeter College will host the Diversity Stage for young people and community artists; and there’ll be groups displaying their cultural heritage giving special insights into their unique culture.

Elsewhere, expect outdoor processions and activities, a wealth of stalls providing global food, clothing, and handmade crafts.  In the Windrush Zone, for children and their parents, you can enjoy a variety of activities including workshops from Exeter’s RAMM. 

The festival remains alcohol free; as an alternative Bar Nova are supplying non-alcoholic cocktails for all to enjoy. Entrance fee is £2 (under 16s are free). 

www.respect.org

8- 9 June

HERITAGE HARBOUR FESTIVAL

The free festival will be returning to Exeter Quayside to celebrate the city’s maritime history and Heritage Harbour status. Expect maritime history, live music, film and family-friendly activities throughout the weekend. 

www.exeter.gov.uk

13-16 June

PLYMOUTH SUMMER SESSIONS 

Not exactly a festival, but it’s outdoors and there’s live music and the line-up is spectacular:  Tom Jones (13th), Bryan Adams (14th), Madness (15th) and Sting (16th). 

Plus, you’ll be on the spectacular waterfront of Plymouth Hoe, home to the landmark Smeaton's Tower Lighthouse. This is the first-ever TK Maxx presents Plymouth Summer Sessions. It will be huge. Well worth an hour south on the train. Tickets start at £57.50.

www.smmrsessions.com

14-16 June

EXETER STREET FOOD FESTIVAL

Dive into delicious street food from across the globe as over 25 traders cook up a storm in Northernhay Gardens. Expect anything from Indian to Vietnamese, Thai to Moroccan, Mexican to Afghan, Caribbean to Uzbek, with food to suit every dietary requirement and plenty to satisfy those with a sweet tooth! £11.25 gets you a table for six people. 

www.streetfoodwarehouse.co.uk 

14- 16 June

WOOFSTOCK

Woofstock is the brainchild of passionate dog lovers who wanted to create a one-of-a-kind event where dogs and their owners could come together to celebrate their shared love of all things canine. Now in its tenth year, the festival takes place at Powderham Castle with dog fun including  expert-led workshops and demonstrations covering topics such as training tips, nutrition advice, and pet care essentials; canine agility demonstrations and interactive games, while you can treat your furry companion to the latest and greatest in doggy fashion, accessories, toys, and treats at the diverse array of vendors and exhibitors.

There’s plenty of non-canine entertainment too, including live music from the UK's top performers including tribute acts performing as Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, Paloma Faith and Fleetwood Mac, plus bouncy castles, archery and climbing walls for the kids. Delicious Eats for humans and dogs alike available. So much to keep the tails wagging. Tickets are £6-£63. 

 www.woofstockuk.co.uk

14-16 June

LYMPSTONE GARDEN FESTIVAL 

Lympstone Village is holding a Garden Festival celebrating glorious summer gardens to raise money for hospiscare.  From delightful courtyards clustered around the historic harbour to the grandeur of Lympstone Manor and everything in between. Refreshments, music from the Lympstone Academy Band and a movie themed scarecrow trail throughout the village.

www.www.lympstone.org

21-23 June

Coldharbour Farm’s Solstice Sessions

Coldharbour Farm in Ottery St Mary is hosting its second boutique music festival, giving a platform to established artists as well as enabling young and emerging Devon musicians to reach new audiences.

Coinciding with the longest day of the year, the organisers have put together an unmissable kick start to the summer season, with a line-up of over 25 sets with something for everyone, spanning reggae to rock, Americana and bluegrass, community choirs and more. Friday is ‘local bands’ day, Saturday celebrates roots and country while Sunday has been designated as a day for chilling out.

Headline acts are Revelation Roots, a collective of talented reggae musicians from across the South West; the Sarah Yeo Band with sounds of country and folk; and the Adam Sweet Band who will be entertaining the crowds with rootsy rock and blues. 

The location of the festival has extra appeal with soaring views over the East Devon countryside, perfect for revellers to relax and enjoy when taking a break to enjoy a drink or food. Expect scrumptious delicious home-cooked food and a superb choice of drinks including West Country ciders, local ales and artisan spirits including Coldharbour’s own Flaming Barrel gin.

The festival is limited to just 400 tickets, promising an intimate, friendly atmosphere. Weekend tickets include free camping and sites for live-in vehicles, with day tickets also available. Weekend tickets are £100 and day tickets start from £30.

coldharbourfarmshop.co.uk

29 June

LET’S ROCK EXETER

Get yourself down to Powderham Castle for the ultimate nostalgia trip, with a line-up that includes UB40, The Boomtown Rats, Sister Sledge and Jason Donavon. 80s fancy dress is encouraged! Adult tickets start at £39.38.

www.letsrockexeter.com

4-6 July

EXETER CRAFT FESTIVAL

Combining the welcoming atmosphere of a village fête with presenting the talent of over 100 crafters and artists from the West country, this event - now in its 47th year -  is a popular one. As usual, the free festival takes place at Exeter Cathedral Green and  features a wide range of exhibitors – potters, glassworkers, woodworkers, smiths, felters, jewellery makers, textile workers, painters and photographers, and many more. The Festival also provides a rolling programme of entertainment, including music, dancing, local Morris men and a wandering magician, and loads of food and drink.

  www.exeter craft festival.co.uk.

4-7 July

GOREN FESTIVAL

Goren Festival is a family-friendly celebration located near Honiton offering an idyllic setting for long sunny evenings filled with music, laughter, and play in the picturesque wildflower meadows. Tailored especially for young children aged 5 to 15, the festival provides a safe and engaging environment for exploration among meadows, hedgerows, and streams. Along with two nights of camping, attendees can enjoy a diverse range of musical entertainment from Friday through to Sunday evening, making it a perfect getaway for families seeking a blend of adventure and relaxation. An adult weekend ticket is £32. 

www.gorenfestival.co.uk

10 July

THE CELEBRATION OF SPEED 

The one-day summer festival held at Luxury manor house hotel, Lympstone Manor,  commemorates Michelin-starred Chef-Owner Michael Caines’ love of motorsport with a line-up including panel discussions with TV presenter and racing driver, Jodie Kidd and TV presenter and motor specialist, Ant Anstead. As the evening draws in, Lympstone Manor transforms for a Party in the Paddock, with a world-renowned music line-up including rock sensations, The Feeling and DJ Gok Wan. Tickets start at £43.37.

www.thecelebrationofspeed.com

19-21 July

EXMOUTH FESTIVAL 

The town will be buzzing with live music, dancing, silence discos, and family-friendly performances. This year this free event is spread across several stages in the town - The Strand, Manor Gardens and Sideshore.

www.exmouthfestival.co.uk

2-9 August

SIDMOUTH FOLK FESTIVAL 

Celebrating its 70th year, this year’s festival is bigger than ever with a classic top-class feast of captivating song, dance, music and merriment, plus some very special anniversary events. The bill features top tier concert headliners, high-octane standing shows, intimate sessions, emerging talent, exclusive commissions, dynamic ceilidhs and folk dances, colourful Morris displays, storytelling, a dedicated fun-packed children’s festival, Shooting Roots sessions for 12- to 17-year-olds, and a huge range of hands-on workshops. Concert headliners include contemporary folk queen Kate Rusby, master singer and songwriter Ralph McTell, multi-award-winning Scottish songwriter, folk singer, and storyteller Karine Polwart, perennial powerhouse folk-rockers Oysterband, and impassioned English folk duo Spiers & Boden.

www.sidmouthfolkfestival.co.uk

16-18 August

BEAUTIFUL DAYS FESTIVAL 

Beautiful Days is the Levellers’ annual family music festival organised by Exeter-based DMF Music since its inception in 2003. Proudly independent, and a firm favourite on the Summer calendar, this year’s line-up includes Richard Ashcroft, The Saw Doctors, Levellers, Richard Hawley, Fat Freddy’s Drop, The Damned, Toyah & Robert, Fisherman’s Friends, Hard-Fi, Inspiral Carpets, Badly Drawn Boy, New Model Army, Utah Saints and many more. The festival has music and entertainment over six stages plus walkabout theatre, amazing site art, a huge children’s area, a vast selection of food and traders plus real ale bars run by Devon’s Otter Brewery. The festival is also well known for their colourful Sunday dressing up themes with the 2024 theme announced as MASQUERADE.

www.beautifuldays.org

7-15 September

AGATHA CHRISTIE FESTIVAL 

The Agatha Christie Festival returns to Torbay this September, with events held at a number of settings and venues across the English Riviera. Fans of crime fiction can take to sea for the AB Sea Murders boat trip or hop on the Dartmouth Steam Railway for Murder on the Riviera Express. Murder mystery events will also be taking place at places as diverse as Paignton Zoo, Torre Abbey Gardens and Paignton Library, while there is even a dog walking event called the Wagatha Mystery, where people are encouraged to “follow the leads, sniff out the clues and collar the suspect.”

Kents Cavern are hosting a truly underground film festival in the very caves that inspired Agatha Christie in The Man in the Brown Suit (which turns 100 this year), while the National Trust are hosting Greenway After Dark events in Agatha Christie’s former holiday home on the banks of the River Dart. Hundreds of people have also signed up for the one-mile Agatha Christie Sea Swim between Broadsands and Goodrington, celebrating the author’s love of sea swimming while also supporting Rowcroft Hospice. A number of talks are also planned as part of the literary programme, with events being held in Bygones Museum, the Royal Torbay Yacht Club, The Spanish Barn and the Palace Theatre in Paignton.

www.agathachristiefestival.com

14-22 September

TASTE EAST DEVON FESTIVAL 

East Devon’s best producers, chefs, restaurants and venues have joined forces to bring Taste East Devon Festival showcasing the best that our region has to offer. From farm feasts to brewery open days, seafood tasting experiences to BBQs and parties: some events will be ticketed, some will be open freely for all.

www.www.tasteeastdevon.co.uk

29 September - 15 October

ENGLAND'S SEAFOOD FEAST

The foodie festival returning to the English Riviera, in South Devon, for a two-week celebration of world-renowned locally caught and landed seafood. A feast for all the senses, over 40 eateries have joined forces to put on an incredible array of experiences and special menus for visitors to enjoy. It’s an opportunity to dine like a local, taste some of the best seafood in the world right where it’s landed, learn about sustainable fishing practices and meet the people who make the festival what it is.

Festival goers will be taken on a journey from sea to plate in the towns of Brixham, Paignton and Torquay, Meet the ‘Faces of the Feast’ and hear about their stories at sea, discover new fish species, be inspired by local talent and give back to the ocean. Celebrate at events such as ‘Mussels and Music’, ‘Seafood and Sax’, and ‘SUP and Seafood at Sunrise’. 

From scallop diver to Michelin-star chef, restauranter to coastal artist, the line-up includes Simon Hulstone, chef/proprietor of The Michelin star restaurant Elephant, and Mitch Tonks, the founder and CEO of Rockfish.

www.englishriviera.co.uk