Devon & Cornwall offer a year-round calendar of fantastic events and festivals to suit all ages and tastes. We’ll help you make the most of your time when holidaying in the south west of England.
Organised by Swamp Circus, a professional group of professional acrobats and dancers, Cornwall Circus Camp Big Top comes to Penryn. Attend one day or more, and learn how to unicycle, juggle, walk the high wire or try your hand at the swinging trapeze.
Our article runs through a typical day at Circus School where attendees of all ages learn a wide range of skills with professional performers and tutors.
Started in 2001 as a celebration at the conclusion of local improvements, Gunnislake Festival is now an annual four-day event of music, drama, art and family fun. Watch the parade, browse the local history exhibition or take a guided walk.
Learn more about Gunnislake’s mining history before visiting this scenic village in the Tamar Valley. The strong community makes this a fun festival for all.
Lafrowda Festival in St Just in Penwith takes its name from the ancient Cornish land on which the town is located. Workshops, live bands, a comedy night and more will entertain you prior to the beautiful Lantern Procession on Lafrowda Day.
Discover more about the community of St Just and what you can enjoy if you plan to visit the “First and Last Town in England” with this fact-filled article.
The historic capital city of Devon hosts the Exeter Craft Festival each year in early July on Cathedral Green. Beneath the flapping canvas booths are a range of crafts from artworks and jewellery to garden pots and tasty preserves.
Read on to find something to tempt you to attend this festival of local artisans. With tasty food stalls and live entertainment there’s something for everyone!
Built around the mass ascent of dozens of hot air balloons, the Tiverton Balloon and Music Festival includes plenty of events for those with their feet firmly on the ground too. Comedy shows, live bands, and a Night Glow show take place each evening.
Read all about the Taste of the West Food and Drink Pavilion, craft stalls and aerial display teams which offer family entertainment over the whole weekend.
The Liskeard Show is one of the largest one day agricultural shows in the southwest and its main focus is on family entertainment. See large animals being judged, enjoy clowns and marvel at the stunt teams at this annual event.
If you haven’t attended the Liskeard Show before, read all about it and plan to take the family to this fun day of tractors, livestock, fun and Cornish food!
Each summer the townsfolk of Marazion take to the streets to join in the lively Marazion Carnival parade. After parading through the streets it ends at Folly Field where free entertainment and stalls make this a fun-filled afternoon for families.
Follow the Carnival Parade, discover what’s happening and learn more about the town of Marazion as you read through this interesting local article.
Parachute jumping, MoD police dog displays and the White Helmets Motorcycle Display Team are all lined up to take part in the annual RNAS Culdrose Air Day. Sit aboard a Royal Navy helicopter and talk to some of the heroes at this exciting event.
Once you’ve read what’s scheduled for this Royal Navy Air Day, you’re sure to want to head down to Helston and see the exciting action for yourself.
The Torbay Carnival is a nine-day event packed with free entertainment for families, visitors and local residents alike. Fireworks, competitions and a Fun Fair are just the start of the activities which celebrate summer in style.
Live bands, dance troupes, theatre and a procession are all part of the Torbay Carnival. Join the FM party or cheer on the Waiters Race on the Beach. Be there!
Founded over 120 years ago, the Woolsery Agricultural Show started out as a local competition for colts. It is now a great day out for families and farmers alike with show jumping, livestock competitions, trade stands and family entertainment.
Discover below what the Woolsery Agricultural Show has to offer and consider visiting this local event which is held near Clovelly at the end of July each year.
Dartmouth manages to fill a whole week with crab-themed events during the annual South Devon Crab Festival. Join the crab hunt around town, take a boat trip, see how many plastic crabs you can throw into the crab pot and enjoy a fresh crab lunch.
If your mouth is watering already, read on to discover what discover what this fun event entailss before heading down to South Devon in late July to join in!f
Sculling and scoffing seem to be the main occupations at the annual Kingswear Regatta in the South Hams! This fun rowing event mixes serious rowing with fun events including a Lamb Spit, Dog Show and a Duck Race, all in aid of local charities.
Take a trip to Kingswear at any time for a lovely day out on the River Dart, or read on to discover all the events at the annual Kingswear Regatta weekend.
Arts-themed Dartington Hall celebrates the life and works of Indian-born Rabindranath Tagore at the annual Tagore Festival. This Nobel-Prize-winning musician and writer visited Dartington in 1930 and influenced the development of the Arts Centre.
Discover more about this enigmatic artist by reading on, and consider attending the Tagore Festival to experience Indian music, drama, literature and songs.
Safety on Dartmoor Day is organized by the Dartmoor National Park in conjunction with the fire and ambulance services and volunteers from DartmoorRescue with their trained rescue dogs. Fire engines and air ambulances will be on display.
Read more about the beautiful setting of Lydford Gorge and discover a range of things to see and do at this family-friendly event near Okehampton.
If you fancy some lively entertainment and arts, best get down to Devon for the Babbacombe Festival the third week in June. There’s Oompah Night, a Festival Funk Party, a Fish and Chips Music Festival and a Flower Show on Babbacombe Downs.
We can’t do justice to all the events at the Babbacombe Festival so read the full-length article and book a Devon holiday cottage in June before it’s too late.
The Polperro Festival had been celebrated for decades as part of the Summer Solstice. Now a thriving arts and cultural heritage event, it offers fun for all ages from the Mock Mayor Ceremony and Morris Dancing to the Solstice Bonfire.
Enjoy reading about this action-packed week in the quaint village of Polperro. It may entice you to visit this charming corner of Cornwall in festival week!
The Saltash Regatta and Waterside Festival is even older than the Henley Regatta. In 2013 it will be celebrating its 178th event! Gig racing, fancy dress races and the annual Cutter Race take place in the shadow of the famous Tamar Bridge.
Read more about this historic town and the events during the Regatta weekend. A street market, children’s fair and live music make this a popular free festival.
Now in its 220th year, the Royal Cornwall Show has been delighting thousands of visitors for generations. Primarily a Trade and Agricultural Show, it has many animal breeds on display along with farm equipment, food, music and entertainment.
The next best thing to visiting the Royal Cornwall Show is reading about it. From steam engines to the RAF Falcons, you’ll be royally entertained!
On National Garden Schemes Days, gardeners open their gates to share their beautiful gardens with the public and raise money for their chosen charity. There are 28 NGS days in Devon in May, so choose one, or maybe visit them all!
We give you the lowdown on these one-off events, explains more about how the NGS works, and give a taster of these Devon paradises.
Ten Tors is a tough challenge of hiking and climbing ten tors on Dartmoor over a weekend in early May. Aimed at teenagers and young adults, it involves the teams of six being self-sufficient as they battle the elements that Dartmoor is famous for.
Read on to discover the history of the Ten Tors Challenge, and see if you are up to taking part in this tough test of fitness and endurance.
Port Eliot Dog Festival is a great opportunity to see some of the Westcountry’s finest dogs as well as getting a rare chance to enter the magnificent gates of the ancient Port Eliot Estate. All proceeds go to support the Children’s Hospice South West.
Read on to enjoy full details about this local dog show event, and consider supporting this very worthwhile event by attending or entering your dog in a class.
Who would have thought that the Basketry and Beyond Festival 2013 could be so entertaining! Hosted in the grounds of historic Dartington Hall near Totnes, the event includes stalls, demos, seminars, a Ceilidh and even a “weave it and wear it” parade!
Discover more by reading the full article crammed with information and tips. You’ll find yourself drawn to attend this crafty event, for sure.
You may be more familiar with seeing donkeys on the beach than valuable polo ponies, but each July Watergate Bay hosts the award-winning Polo on the Beach. Free to attend, it combines horse racing and international polo with music and entertainment.
Read on to learn about the history of polo, the full schedule of the Polo on the Beach event and what else Newquay’s Watergate Bay has to offer visitors.
The steep cobbled streets of Clovelly make this a timeless place to visit, especially over the late May Bank Holiday when it hosts the Clovelly Celebration of Local Ales and Cider. Sample the wide choice of ales produced by small local breweries.
Discover more about Clovelly by reading on, and then make a point of visiting this authentic fishing village during the lively Cider and Ale Festival.