28-31 July 2023
Exmouth Festival is taking an exciting new direction this year which will see it spread across three stages in the town, in a fringe-style event.
The festival, organised by Exmouth Town Council, is a free-to-access community festival that showcases brilliant local music and arts, as well as bringing in some new bands from further afield to perform in the town. The festival will also have a big focus on participation, with free workshops in clay, paint, collage, science, podcasting, DJing, beat-making, ceilidh dance calling and body percussion.
Organiser Jess Magill says, “We invite you to step out of the ordinary, and into a world of creativity. For one weekend Exmouth will be filled with opportunities for discovery, fun and wonder.”
Each area will have a slightly different flavour, with a variety of things going on. People can either flit between stages or settle in for the day’s entertainment in their favourite spot.
Manor Gardens, the ‘Festival Garden’, will be a secure family-friendly area with fabulous fun-filled music, theatre, circus workshops and shows, free art and science workshops, and the usual great array of stalls, food, and drink. Monday is vintage day, with music from the 30s 40s and 50s, dance displays, and afternoon tea by Bumble & Bee.
The Strand will host our popular community choirs, drama and dance groups on the Saturday, culminating in a Ceilidh, while Sunday will revive the much-loved West Country Traditions day, with sea shanties and Morris dancing all day long.
Sideshore is the spot for skate and sounds, with a solar powered stage featuring ska, punk, electronica and soul, a pop-up skate ramp with pro-shows throughout the day, the Boom Bus drop-in sound workshops, plus crafts from the Creative Cabin, food and drink by Mickeys and Hang Time, and craft stalls.
There will also be free workshops, the Seadog arts trail, an outdoor cinema event and as always local charities and causes will be giving talks and putting out their stalls to inform people of issues and actions.
The whole programme is available on an app as well as the website.
“The Exmouth Festival has a long history and is much-loved by residents and visitors.” says Jess Magill. “We hope everyone will embrace the new format and take the opportunity to discover something new. With three stages of music and so many activities going on, I really think there will be something for everyone. And best of all, we have kept it free for everyone to enjoy.”