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.
How about spending a lovely weekend just before Christmas surrounded by horses and horsey folk at the Westcountry Christmas Equine Fair in Exeter? They’re all extremely welcoming and you might just find that you have a great time.
This Equine Fair attracts horse lovers from all over Devon as well as further afield and there really is a lovely atmosphere about the place.
If your Christmases seem to be stuck in the same old rut, consider renting a holiday cottage in North Devon and doing something different. Why not spend Christmas with close family or friends in a holiday cottage with oak beams and a log fire, or in a large family home where someone else gets to clear up afterwards? Read on to discover the fun activities you can enjoy in North Devon over Christmas and the New Year.
Holidays in Devon don’t have to be confined to the summer months. This scenic county has plenty of activities, great food and things to do at any time of year, and Christmas is no exception.
Read what’s happening in South Devon at Christmas then ask yourself why you’re not enjoying Christmas in a holiday cottage in Devon. Book it now!
Where could you find a Buddha on display next to Father Christmas or carol singers happily performing alongside a Shamanic drum vibration session? It could only happen in Totnes, where the Christmas Festival nights really do have to be seen to be believed.
Anything goes at the Totnes Festival and as anyone who has experienced it all will no doubt agree, this is what makes these nights in December so very special indeed.
There is no doubt about it, the green in front of Exeter Cathedral is a stunning location and whoever thought of putting a Christmas Market on there has definitely come up with a master stroke. Combine the market with everything else that Exeter has to offer and it has to be somewhere that must be visited on the run up to Christmas.
Plymouth is the perfect setting for a Christmas market, with plenty of room for people to wander around whilst taking in the Yuletide cheer. With carols playing & delicious smells wafting over from the food stalls, it offers a wonderful Christmas atmosphere.
Plymouth Christmas Market is now a well-established event and it’s a great opportunity to pick up some unusual gifts in a very festive atmosphere.
There can’t be many carnivals which totally transform a town like the one in Liskeard, held every December. This is the highlight of the year as far as the locals are concerned, so do yourself a favour & discover what they are all getting so excited about.
When the big day arrives, the excitement builds up from the morning until the grand finale in the evening when Liskeard lights up for Christmas.
If you are looking for a treat for the whole family this Christmas, how about booking a trip on The Polar Express. The train is decked out in exactly the same way as the train in the film and from the moment you leave Okehampton train station it is non stop action all of the way!
It’s fair to say that some top chefs have a similar celebrity status to those of pop stars. If you wondered where they all go in the period leading up to Christmas, apart from their busy restaurants that is, look no further than the Padstow Christmas Festival.
From its humble beginnings in 2008, the festival has grown to an event that attracts top chefs from all over the UK, so don’t forget to take your autograph book!
Everyone has their own idea of a house or venue which would be the perfect place to celebrate Christmas and anyone who has had the pleasure of visiting Agatha Christie’s holiday home in South Devon would probably put that house at the top of the list. Thankfully the National Trust have the same idea and the Christmas celebrations they’ve lined up can only be described as wonderful.
Walking into Babbacombe’s Model Village is a weird experience at the best of times but during the Christmas period you would be forgiven for thinking that you had grown 20 feet and have stumbled into a community which is in the middle of their Christmas celebrations.
Located just outside Torquay in South Devon, the Winter Wonderland Snow Spectacular is not only unique but also a great deal of winter fun.
Stepping back in time over the Christmas period is something that everyone should try every now and again. There can’t be may better opportunities to this than the one that presents itself at the Lostwithiel Dickensian Evening. Try it and see…
Although Christmas is generally an upbeat, happy celebration, for the tiny village of Mousehole it is a time to look back and remember a local tragedy one Christmas over 30 years ago.
Join in the village celebrations and sample Stargazy Pie when you stay in a holiday cottage near Mousehole this Christmas.
December in Devon can be a magical time for families and those looking to do something different before Christmas. Villages are bedecked with twinkling fairy lights, country pubs offer a roaring fire and a hearty welcome and market stalls are laden with Devon fare. Most of Devon’s major attractions also get into the festive mood and put on some cracking treats. Here are some not-to-be-missed events to join in.
Book a holiday cottage in Devon and enjoy the Christmas season with some very merry events!
Most towns and cities across Britain have seasonal Christmas lights, nativity scenes and Christmas trees. Small villages in Cornwall do an amazing job, and the official lighting ceremony is always a fun family night out.
Book a Devon holiday cottage in December and join one of these switch-on events of Christmas lights.
If you hanker for traditional pastimes in the days leading up to Christmas, you need to join in some of the organised events taking place throughout Cornwall. Make Victorian Christmas cards, join a Lantern Parade or feast on a decadent Christmas lunch when you spend a week in a cottage in Cornwall. Book now!
Every winter the Eden Project opens its ice rink to the general public and this one will be unlike anything that you have ever experienced before. The magical ice rink is opens at the end of October & ice-skating in November seems particularly exciting.
You don’t have to be an expert skater to enjoy what it has to offer; as long as you are game for a laugh it will definitely be a winter wonderland to remember.
A short walk from Newlyn Harbour and you will arrive at Trereife House. Parts of the house date back to the reign of Elizabeth I and it is a wonderful sight on a normal day but when it is transformed into a winter wonderland, it takes on a truly magical atmosphere.
With such a fantastic Christmas market in the grounds, there cannot be many places which are able to offer such a fabulous Christmas shopping experience.
The lead up to Christmas can often prove to be a bit of a nightmare for families with young children. Finding something to keep everyone occupied is especially difficult when everything is geared to spend, spend, spend but there is a weekend event in Falmouth that is guaranteed to keep everyone happy and without breaking the bank in the process!
Spending is unfortunately all part of the ‘Christmas Experience’. So if you are going to spend, why not do it in style? The Pencarrow Christmas Fair is the perfect place to do it. Walking in a winter wonderland, Christmas shopping has never been so enjoyable.
At Pencarrow Christmas Fair quality is the watchword at this high-class event, which really is the crème de la crème of Christmas fairs in Cornwall.
St Austell Torchlight Carnival grows in popularity every year & with the involvement of the Eden Project you can be sure that it is pretty spectacular. The carnival lasts all day, as a brilliant assortment of floats & entertainment makes its way through the town.
The day offers stalls with entertainment, food & other activities to keep everyone amused, leading to the amazing display of lanterns in the torchlight carnival.
There is nothing better than being on a beach, wrapped up against the elements & watching the fireworks explode in the night sky. Cornwall offers lots of choices to enjoy the evening, with some of them a little different to any other Guy Fawkes Night experience.
From harbourside fireworks in Polperro to partying the night away on Gwithian Beach, Cornwall has plenty to make your Bonfire Night celebration go with a bang.
There’s a lot going on in Devon on Guy Fawkes Night. So whether you fancy joining in with the crowds in Exeter or enjoying a more sophisticated evening in the grounds of a manor house, with high quality food to match, Devon will certainly not let you down!
Check out our round up of the best bonfire bashes in the county and make your plans to visit a firework fiesta on November 5th.
Devon is home to the original “Hound of the Baskervilles” as well as many haunted churches, taverns and stately homes. From Shriek Week at Dingles Fairground Heritage Centre to Mini Horrors in Babbacombe there’s something for all the family.
Take your pick from our selection of ghostly goings on, from zombies to ghost walks and make sure that Halloween will never be quite the same again!