Exmouth Festival is nearly here – offering a weekend of free entertainment at Sideshore, Manor Gardens and the Strand.

The festival, on Saturday July 20 and Sunday 21, is a celebration of the town, of arts and culture, of caring for the planet, and of just being alive!

A full programme can be found on the Exmouth Festival website, where you can also download the Exmouth Festival app which has an interactive map, enhanced search facility and 'favourites' list. 

If you can't be there in person, you can still see what's going on in Manor Gardens via a livestream that can be watched from anywhere. There are BSL signed events across the weekend - use the filters on the app to find them.

If you have any questions about access requirements, email festival@exmouth.gov.uk 

Here are some of the things you can see and do during the weekend:

Malvita! - one of the performers at  Exmouth Festival• Discover music – the line-up features new bands from Devon and beyond, as well as local favourites. Among them are Addictive TV, India Electric Co, Malavita!, Orange River Remedy and The Barefoot Bandit.

• Get creative – you can print a poster with Creative Cabin from Thelma Hulbert museum, make a clay alien with artist Angie Seaway or a clay self-portrait for a permanent artwork with Exmouth Pottery, paint planets, tie dye nebulae and sculpt moons with Hayley Watson.#

Learning to spin plates (Image: EMILY APPLETON)

 • Be a kid - learn to spin a plate or hula hoop at the circus skills workshop, cycle against friends and family with Shirt or Squirt, or take part in the Custard Pie Olympics with the Bureau of Silly Ideas. Pollinate your face with Pif Paf Theatre’s Bee Cart, run from the giant seagull walkabouts, enjoy Uncle Tacko’s Flea Circus, and learn about space with Team Moon.

Juggler Ben (Image: EMILY APPLETON)

• Watch live street art – murals will be painted on Langerwehe Way near Manor Gardens during the festival. Garf, Slam, Anna Fitzgerald and Guime will all be creating pieces with an Exmouth connection.

 

Indian dancer Avtar (Image: Exmouth Festival)

• Move your body – book yourself into a Silent Disco or onto the Silent Disco Promenade, a cross between a flashmob, a dance class and a walking tour. Cut some Bollywood dance moves with the Indian dance workshop, join the ceilidh in the Strand on Saturday night, swing with South West Lindy Hoppers, learn some Balkan circle dances with Hazaar, and bust a groove with the Time Machine Disco.

(Image: EMILY APPLETON) • Chill out – sometimes what you need is to lie back and stare at the clouds. At the Silent Chill on Sunday morning you can grab a coffee, head to the Mallow (the grassy bit at Sideshore), find a deckchair or beanbag and listen to three channels of chilled music and spoken word while the world goes by.

VR experience with Exeter Science Centre (Image: Exmouth Festival) • Get 'sciencey' at Sideshore - there’s cool marine science with Exeter University and earth science activities by Exeter Science Centre, plus their VR experience ‘We Are Guardians’ for age 10+ which takes you above the earth into the world of satellites.

• Try something new – you can find taster sessions in Qi Gong, FSC Muay Thai, mass karaoke with Massaoke, a shanty singing workshop with Exmouth Shanty Men, improv at Whoosh: Re-wild the Tempest, or Storywalk Games.

One of the many food stalls at the festival (Image: Exmouth Festival) • Eat and drink – there are lots of great food stalls, all with vegan and veggie options – Thai curries and noodles, crepes, tacos, falafels, pizza, bao buns, burgers, loaded fries, paella and more, plus drinks from Bar Nova, Mickeys and Hang Time including a special edition ‘Hang Time’ Powderkeg beer, a Devon Rum bar and Ventons Cider.

Thanks to Exmouth Town Council, plus the festival supporters and sponsors, all of these activities are free for everyone to enjoy -  except the Silent Disco and Silent Disco Promenade.