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Sidmouth Folk Festival

Sidmouth Folk Festival is a week long celebration of traditional music and dance that takes place every year in the heart of Sidmouth. It has been held in the first week of August since the 1950s and has become a real national treasure championing folk traditions with over 700 events, activities and workshops to suit everyone – no matter their age or knowledge of folk music.

An incredible week of fun

Sidmouth Folk Festival regularly attracts tens of thousands of visitors every year with top name entertainment, children’s activities and colourful dance displays taking place at a variety of locations around the town. Each year the line up shows the unique and broad appeal of the festival, so whether you’re just joining in for the day, or planning to stay for the whole week, there really is something for everyone.

The Festival holds several dedicated children’s events making it the perfect family friendly activity. Head to Blackmore Gardens where you’ll find workshops covering music, crafts, circus skills, theatre, story telling and games in beautiful surroundings. Or simply stay in the town centre where you can catch regular performances, both big and small as well as Morris Dancing, parades and more! The festival ends in spectacular fashion with the traditional Torchlight Procession making its way down the Esplanade from Peak Hill and an awe inspiring Firework Display which brings the week to a close.

The Sidmouth Folk Festival has its own designated campsite, a dedicated festival carpark and their own festival bus service so you never miss out on your favourite performers! Many of the hotels and other accommodation providers in the town also offer special rates for guests who are coming for the festival, so make sure to speak to them when making your booking. The official festival campsite can be found on Bulverton Road, just under two miles from the seafront. The site has its own box office and food areas, as well as running hot and cold water and a designated family area which is quieter. Located in the heart of the Sid Valley, the site has incredible views and the bus service runs at regular intervals from here to the town centre.

A piece of Sidmouth’s history

Not only is Sidmouth Folk Festival the oldest of its kind in Britain, but the 2017 festival in particular has made its mark on history. This particular edition of the festival was when the Festival was awarded its own Blue Plaque in recognition of its continuous cultural contributions to the town – live on BBC Radio Devon! The station broadcast the unveiling of the plaque live from Connaught Gardens in Sidmouth as part of the BBC’s Music Day celebrations. The setting of Connaught Gardens was particularly poignant as that was the venue for the first evert festival.

The plaque can be found at the Ham, where the Festival sets up its central hub each year.

Information and advanced tickets for the next Sidmouth Folk Festival is available from the Information Centre on 01395 578627 or via email ticinfo@sidmouth.gov.uk Alternatively, they can be booked online at sidmouthfolkfestival.co.uk

Want to find out more about what’s on in and around Sidmouth? You can find details of other festivals and events here.

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Ongoing Events

Peter Vaillant Abstract Art Exhibition

Type

Type:

Art

Sidmouth

Peter Vaillant is an internationally acclaimed British abstract artist, with a distinctively bold and colourful style. He currently works between his studios in London and…

Dates

From:

12 Aug 2022to31 Aug 2022
Sidmouth Eats Boutique-Evening Street Food Market

Type

Type:

Food and Drink

Sidmouth

Join this pop up street food market every second Friday of the month, outside on the lawn at Kennaway House.
Be a part of our community and find us on summer Friday nights…

Dates

From:

12 Aug 2022to12 Aug 2022

From:

9 Sept 2022to9 Sept 2022
Sidmouth Food Festival

Type

Type:

Food and Drink

Sidmouth

Back by popular demand! We are pleased to announce that the 2022 Sidmouth Food Festival will be held on Saturday 13th August. For further information and bookings, please…

Dates

From:

13 Aug 2022to13 Aug 2022
DISCO at Kennaway House

Type

Type:

Music

Sidmouth

Join us for a relaxed, adult-only boogie.........
Saturday 16th JULY from 8pm
£5 on the door
Future dates are: Aug 20 - Sep 10 - Oct 15 - Nov 19 - Dec 10

Dates

From:

20 Aug 2022to20 Aug 2022

From:

10 Sept 2022to10 Sept 2022

From:

15 Oct 2022to15 Oct 2022

From:

19 Nov 2022to19 Nov 2022

From:

10 Dec 2022to10 Dec 2022
Sidmouth Airshow 2022

Type

Type:

Air / Air Show

Sidmouth

Sidmouth’s Airshow will take place on Friday, 26 August 2022 at the provisional time of 5pm onwards.

Dates

From:

26 Aug 2022to26 Aug 2022
Sidmouth Regatta

Type

Type:

Festival

Sidmouth

Sidmouth Regatta will be held from and including Friday 2 August until Sunday afternoon the 2 August, (August Bank Holiday).
On Friday early evening there will be an Air…

Dates

From:

26 Aug 2022to28 Aug 2022
Craft@Kennaway

Type

Type:

Art

Sidmouth

* CRAFT FAIRS: A variety of locally made jewellery, pottery, knitting, photography and cards will be on offer at Craft fairs on Saturdays throughout the year.
* CHRISTMAS…

Dates

From:

27 Aug 2022to27 Aug 2022

From:

10 Sept 2022to10 Sept 2022

From:

15 Oct 2022to15 Oct 2022

From:

29 Oct 2022to29 Oct 2022

From:

25 Nov 2022to26 Nov 2022
Lyme Regis Folk Festival

Type

Type:

Performance

LYME REGIS

28 minute drive from Sidmouth.
CANCELLED - But please save the date for 27-30 August 2021!!
Lyme Folk Weekend has quickly become one of the most popular events of…

Dates

From:

2 Sept 2022to4 Sept 2022
Grahame Booth. Watercolour Landscapes.

Type

Type:

Art

Sidmouth

Grahame Booth. Watercolour Landscapes and Townscapes. 5th to 8th September. …

Dates

From:

5 Sept 2022to8 Sept 2022
Watercolour Landscapes and Townscapes. Grahame Booth. East Devon Art Academy.

Type

Type:

Art

Sidmouth

Learn how to create a fresh lively watercolour by using confident bold brushstrokes to choose a main focal point while simplifying the rest of the subject. Includes Plein Air…

Dates

From:

5 Sept 2022to8 Sept 2022
ARTBEAT Annual Exhibition and Sale

Type

Type:

Art

Sidmouth

* ARTBEAT are celebrating their 10th annual exhibition.
* A selection of original paintings, giclées, cards and gifts.
* FREE ENTRY.

Dates

From:

7 Sept 2022to16 Sept 2022
ARTBEAT Annual Exhibition and Sale- Kennaway House

Type

Type:

Art

Sidmouth

* ARTBEAT are celebrating their 10th annual exhibition.
* A selection of original paintings, giclées,cards and gifts.
* FREE ENTRY.

Dates

From:

7 Sept 2022to16 Sept 2022
Sidmouth & East Devon Walking Festival 2022

Type

Type:

Event

Sidmouth

The Sidmouth & East Devon Walking Festival runs each September for one week, Saturday to Friday.

Dates

From:

17 Sept 2022to23 Sept 2022
Mosaics Workshop. Karen Wones. East Devon Art Academy.

Type

Type:

Art

Sidmouth

Karen Wones. Mosaic Workshop. Saturday 1st Oct 2022 Workshop. Make your own piece of mosaic art in a one-day workshop. If you have ever thought you would like a go ..…

Dates

From:

1 Oct 2022to1 Oct 2022
Acrylics for Beginners and Improvers

Type

Type:

Art

Sidmouth

Catherine Osbond. Acrylic Painting for Beginners. 7th October.
A one-day workshop where you will be introduced to acrylic painting. You will learn various ways to apply…

Dates

From:

7 Oct 2022to7 Oct 2022
James Tatum. The Landscape as Power and Emotion.

Type

Type:

Art

Sidmouth

This workshop is designed to show students how to use a 3-step process to produce more powerful, exciting and coherent landscape paintings. Learn how to use the basic tools…

Dates

From:

15 Oct 2022to16 Oct 2022
Hester Berry. Landscapes in Oils.

Type

Type:

Art

Sidmouth

Hester Berry
Land and Seascapes in Oils.
12th and 11th November 2022. £160 for 2 days www.hesterberry.co.uk

Dates

From:

12 Nov 2022to13 Nov 2022
Jenny Aitken. Landscapes in Acrylics.

Type

Type:

Art

Sidmouth

Jenny provides thoroughly informative teaching, with the overriding goal of people enjoying themselves! She wants people to feel encouraged, enabled and challenged. £170. …

Dates

From:

17 Nov 2022to18 Nov 2022
Watercolour with a Difference

Type

Type:

Art

Sidmouth

A fun and exciting one day workshop where you will explore watercolour in a different way. Watercolour will be combined with different materials such as oil pastel, inks,…

Dates

From:

25 Nov 2022to25 Nov 2022
Jake Winkle. Light and Movement in Watercolour

Type

Type:

Art

Sidmouth

Learn how to create light and movement in watercolour with this renowned artist.

Dates

From:

30 Nov 2022to30 Nov 2022