FAMILY

Three days off, need a plan? For seaside fun head to Sidmouth Regatta (24-25 Aug) where there’s a Grand Firework Display on Saturday evening or Dartmouth Regatta where the week of maritime events kicks off with a Family Fun Weekend comprising live music, silent disco yoga, animal encounters and a dog show.

Babbacome Model Village will be opening up late on Tuesdays and Thursdays until 12 Sept, so you can enjoy the miniature-scape illuminated, and you can expect a few surprises with light effects and fire.

National Trust Cirque du Summer — Credit National Trust

If you’re planning to visit any of the Devon National Trust properties, look out for their Cirque Du Summer activities designed to test your circus skills, with circus inspired yoga and a chance to impress the kids with your juggling (as if there isn’t enough of that going on already!). And you can help make an earth-friendly Mossy Carpet from pompoms all weekend at Parke, near Bovey (wool donations welcome).

And if only a dragon will do, Plymouth’s West End Carnival (Sat 25) features live bands, a parade, street entertainers and circus shows, street food, vintage cars and a giant smoke-breathing dragon called Ash.

Wave on hundreds of minis as they take to North Devon’s streets and villages to raise money for charity as part of their annual Grand Tour that is Mini Madness.

MUSIC

in Exeter there’s a Silent Disco at Quayside Distillery and *yeehaw* a What Would Dolly Do? county and western night at Exeter Cavern on Friday night followed by free Jazz on the Quay on Sunday 25.

DJ Chris Moyles is at The Big Sheep (23-24 Aug), for their Summer Music Festival which includes an ABBA Reunion, Mercury Queen Tribute, Chris Moyles 90’s Hangover – sure to be a Blur (geddit?).

Didn’t get tickets to Bear Grylls’ Gone Wild Festival at Powderham Castle? Worry not – it’s last chance to book Evening Tickets (after 6pm, from £42) to see Sam Ryder, James, The Feeling, Jake Shears and Ash and bucket hat-fulls of 90s nostalgia from Ocean Colour Scene if you’re quick.

There’s also live music on at The Old Warehouse Kingsbridge, and The Barrel House in Totnes who are also holding an Alternative Book Fair on Sat 24 and -to clear those pipes – a free entry Ukulele Kollective Sing-along on Bank Holiday Monday 26.

CULTURE

The Time is Always Now: Artists Reframe the Black Figure. — The Box *The Time is Always Now: Artists Reframe the Black Figure*

For free fun and retail therapy, set the satnav for Plymouth’s Central Park Fun Day with live music, 80 traders and a dog show. Then meander over to The Box, where you can catch two great exhibitions (they’re Muddy Award winning, you know): Planet Ocean and The Time is Always Now: Artists Reframe the Black Figure and open Monday Bank Holiday. They also offer family-friendly tours of their exhibitions and should you want to venture up to The Hoe, a family ticket to Smeaton’s Tower costs £12 (up to 2 adults and 3 children).

The results of The Children and Young People’s Portrait Competition is also on display at The Box. Run for the artists of Devon and Cornwall in conjunction with The Box, Arts University Plymouth and the National Portrait Gallery, young eyes seem to capture a different spirit and are often less inhibited and create a truer impression of their sitter, running until Sun 29 Sept.

THEATRE & SCREEN

Sister Act The Musical — Credit *Sister Act the Musical*/Mark Senior

Bums on seats for Sister Act the Musical at the Princess Theatre starring Wendi Peters as Mother Superior and Landi Oshinowo as disco diva Deloris – whoop whoop! but no Whoopi. Splendid hilarity and music ensues (Mon 26-Sat 31 Aug). Or how about a brand new musical courtesy of the British Youth Musical Theatre group The Power of Camelot? Inspired by the ancient myths of King Arthur, but set in the modern day, the play sees Morgan set off on an epic quest to find the source of Camelot’s power, redeem her family name and stop a band of evil knights from getting there first. Monsters, myth, magic and mysticism….oh, and a gaggle of Glasto revellers. Bring it on. (Fri 23 – Sat 24 Aug).

Prefer a movie? The Beehive at Honiton is showing the sharp, stylish comedy drama, Fly Me to the Moon (Sat 24 Aug), set against the high stakes backdrop of NASA’s historic Apollo II moon landing, starring Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum and Woody Harrelson. Or check out the Muddy guide to local indie cinemas.

WINE TIMES

Fabulous music, food and homegrown English wine (try their Runner Ducks Bacchus) awaits at the very bouji Kenton Park Estate and their Sundowners Festival (Sat 24 Aug). Do take a wander around the vines and have a selfie in the swing seat overlooking the fields while you’re there.

In need of a summer treat? The Laurent-Perrier Rose Champagne Afternoon Tea at Plymouth’s Boringdon Hall Hotel should fit the bill nicely, served up with delicious finger sandwiches, homemade cakes, plump scones and tasty tarts. To be fair, they had us at Champagne (until 31 Aug).

LAUGHS

Should you fancy some serious belly laughs, Torquay Comedy Club is laying on a Grand Show featuring loads of comedians, including the offensively funny Frankie Boyle as headliner, Russell Howard (above) and more to be announced (Fri 23 Aug).

LAST WEEK IN AUGUST

Prepare yourselves for a weekend of ultimate chill at Restival – a new three-day wellbeing and music event designed to provide maximum rest and maximum fun (Fri 30 – Sun 1 Sept).

A cool option for Braunton is the On The Road Music Festival (Tues 30 Aug – Thur 1 Sept) which includes DJ Martin Badder, Raging Sea (who have supported The Rolling Stones and Coldplay) and Lounge Room Lizards as the headliners – three days, kids welcome and camping available so fingers crossed this dry spell continues.

One for the littlies, Silly Squirrel Children’s Theatre (Sat 31 Aug) is bringing a free puppet show aimed primarily at the under 7s (book online or morning or afternoon show) to Royal William Yard, Plymouth.

Don the deck shoes and launch yourselves off to Dartmouth Royal Regatta (Weds 28 – Sat 31 Aug) for three days of sailing, sports, live music, street food and fireworks.

JUST MISSED

The Landmark, Ilfracombe, has the George Harrison Project, a band dedicated to the music of the much-missed and arguably most gorgeous Beatle (Sun 18 Aug).

Something a little different is set to be heard coming from underground at Kents Cavern where they will be welcoming the rousing tunes of sea shanty singers Missin’ Tackle. The bar will be open and the acoustics should be, er, under this world (Sun 18 Aug).

Totnes Cinema (above) is the perfect place to view Kensuke’s Kingdom (Fri 16 – Sun 18 Aug) – a beautiful animated version of local boy Michael Morpurgo’s endearing book. Adventurous, encouraging and voiced by Cillian Murphy, amongst others. Delicious.

Those of a more literary bent can take the opportunity to meet local author Paul Tobin as he launches his new poetry book The Wait of Water at Leadworks, Plymouth. You will be treated to some live readings from the book while enjoying the visual treats of an exhibition of linocut prints by local artist Alison Wilson that accompany some of the poems. (Fri 16 – Sun 18 Aug).

Retail therapy required. Head to Dartington Hall (Sun 18 Aug) for their free monthly Makers Market where talented local makers have gathered, from artists to ceramicists, print-makers to glassblowers, artisan food & drink producers to authors and more.

FOODIE FUN

Greendale Farm Shop is heading back out on the road with a new festival, Love Local Food (Sat 10 Aug). It’s happening at Exeter Castle and will be filled with foodie delights from Greendale’s own fishmongers, bakery and deli, while also jam-packed with numerous Devon food and drink creators and street vendors, So, you can shop, eat, drink and be merry in gorgeous surroundings and, even better, its an un-ticketed free event.

Trigon Farm, Holsworthy has a celebration of all things tomato with their Tomato Feast (Sun 11 Aug), kicking off with a Virgin Mary and canapés followed by a tour of their chemical-free heirloom tomatoes which are then used to make your fabulous meal. We’re talking gazpacho, tomato salad, stuffed tomatoes, salsa, chutneys. You name it, if they can make it from their toms, you’ll be served it. Sunshine on a plate.

Still fancy your Sunday roast but served with a summer vibe? The Cary Arms at Babbacombe have music while you munch with the melodic music of Yonder Folk as their lunchtime gift to their diners (Sun 18 Aug). More foodie delights at Beer Eats Boutique street food market which is stuffed with tasty treats and set against the unquestionably gorgeous backdrop of Beer Bay, luggers and all (Fri 5 Aug).

SUMMER SHOWS

Catch falconer and horseman extraordinaire, Jonathan Marshall, at North Devon Show/Credit Jonathan Marshall

Get out and about in the good Devon air at The North Devon Show in South Molton for animals and agriculture galore (Wed 7 Aug) or if you’re in East Devon and can’t resist admiring a champion sheep, the Honiton Show should fit the bill nicely (Thur 1 Aug).

Even small but perfectly formed Chagford has an agricultural bun-fest planned with the Chagford Show (Thurs 15 Aug) with over 200 Trade Stands, a Rural Crafts area, a Food Hall displaying the best of local producers, a Beer Tent and lots of live music throughout the day.

The RHS Rosemoor Flower Show (Fri 16 – Sat 17 Aug) is surely one of the garden highlights of a rather erratic year in Devon and, even if your own garden is somewhat beleaguered, you can rely on Rosemoor to be magically full of floral abundance at this weekend festival.

Queer Spirit Festival at Bridwell Park, Cullompton — Credit Queer Spirit Festival 2023

Bridwell Park’s Queer Spirit Festival (Thur 15 – Mon 19 Aug) is hosting a fun-filled gathering of a phenomenal range of people to celebrate how what seems to mark us as different can actually bring us together – an admirable aim indeed.

FESTIVAL FUN

Love Summer Festival (Fri 4 – Sun 6 Aug) at Newnham Park, Plympton is small and perfectly formed and has well priced camping available if your pocket doesn’t love partying as much as you do .

Buckfast Abbey Summer Fair is another absolutely poppet of an event, entrance is free (£6 for car parking) and the day is suitable for all the family, including the dog (Thur 1 – Sat 3 Aug). Shaldon Water Carnival (above, Mon 5 Aug) is a reliable marker of summer in Devon held as it is on the first Saturday of every August – for over 60 years – and hitting a strange watery note between carnival and regatta, a great day out for all ages and always very popular with residents and visitors alike.

LIVE MUSIC

Doubly delightful – drinking and music are to be found at the Soul on the Locks event at Exeter’s Double Locks (Sun 4 Aug). Showing one’s age is definitely de rigeur, so I proudly admit to being thrilled to see Sanctum Sanctorium (Sat 10 Aug) at the Exeter Phoenix, all the cool 80’s music (She Sells Sanctuary, Killing Joke, The Cure) and with not a neon leg warmer in sight.

The annual joy that is the internationally renowned Sidmouth Folk festival (Fri 2 – Fri 9 Aug) returns for their 70th year and with an absolutely stellar line up of all things folk. Honestly, the list of acts and entertainers would take twice the space of Muddy What’s On, but highlights include folk luminaries like Kate Rusby of Spiers & Boden, perennial powerhouse folk-rockers Oysterband and a rare Festival appearance for the Sea Song Sessions featuring a stellar line-up of Jon Boden, Seth Lakeman, Ben Nicholls, Emily Portman and Jack Rutter.

FILM

In the build-up to the September festival which celebrates arguably our most famous local author, Agatha Christie, you can get ahead of the curve by calling into Barnstaple Library to see their screening of Murder on the Orient Express (Mon 5 Aug).

ON STAGE

Shakespeare’s last (and truly spectacular) playThe Tempest comes to this ‘brave new world that hath such people in it’ well, Powderham Castle actually (Tues 13 Aug). A fun option in Newton Abbot and also performed outside at Hearne Field is Illyria Theatre Company performing the Hound of the Baskervilles (Sat 3 Aug).

History provides the stories for Secret Diary of Henry VIII at Tapeley Park, Barnstaple. Performed by the excellent Three Inch Fools it’s suitable for ages 8 -12 so we can assume it’s a sanitised version (Sun 18 Aug).

The Bard is also featuring in Torquay as Torre Abbey host a performance of both Twelfth Night and A Midsummer Night’s Dream where Four Forty Theatre group will perform both plays on the same evening in just 40 minutes! Expect major editing liberties to be taken and lots of additional British seaside humour added – fast paced, entertaining and a brilliant way to lure out non-Shakespeare fans. (Fri 16- Sat 17 Aug).

CULTURE VULTURES

Pop Art Pottery Exhibition at The Burton at Bideford

There’s always something to see at The Burton, Bideford, and this Pop Art & Pottery Exhibition (until Sun 11 Aug) looks rather fun, promising a kaleidoscope of Pop ceramics by key artists around the world from special edition dinner sets to vases and mugs featuring many items from private collections never before displayed in public.

The astonishing horses of the royal stables of Cordoba are galloping back to Exeter’s Westpoint for the Festival of the Iberian Horse (Mon 31 Jul -Sat 3 Aug). Miss out on this rare opportunity to witness astonishing horsemanship? Neigh, neigh and thrice neigh.

Missing the Pottery Throwdown? Bought yourself a pottery wheel in lockdown and never used it? No judgement, but if you want to get re-inspired, Shaldon is holding its Annual Pottery Fair (Sun 10 Aug) where you can marvel at the experts and have an idyllic stroll and something tasty to eat whilst you’re there.

While in Plymouth why not stay around for the British Firework Championships held annually over the water in Plymouth Harbour so you can see them for miles around, always a spectacular show as Britain’s best pyrotechnic artists compete in the skies (Fri 15 – Sat 16 Aug).

GOOD FOR THE SOUL

And now for something completely different…. a three-day Wild Soul Walk, a pilgrimage to rekindle your authentic self, journeying together along the stunning South West Coast Path between Dartmouth and Salcombe interspersed with workshops designed for personal growth and self-discovery (£150, Fri 9 – Mon 12 Aug).

FAMILY FORAYS

The kiddos might also enjoy a good outdoorsy romp at the Sharpham Trust with a morning of free activities at their Summer Nature Day where they will enjoy a forest walk, mini beast discoveries and play with clay (Thur 8 Aug).

Want more awesome ideas for August? Try these:

Words Ashley Tremlett.

Awesome August: Bank Holiday Weekend what’s on special

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