Easter Events in South Devon
With its warm sunshine, blooming daffodils and wildlife in abundance, spring starts early in South Devon. The calendar of...
If you’re heading to the sunny south coast for your holiday this year, then stopping by at one of these amazing festivals in Devon is a must-do!
From foodie events to music festivals and everything in-between, Devon’s event calendar is packed full of exciting things to do throughout the year, many of which are completely free to attend. So, no matter what you’re hoping to get up to, you’re bound to find something fun and exciting to do during your next break.
Keep scrolling to see all the best 2025 Devon festivals…
• eat:Bideford
• Brixham Pirate Festival
• Dart Music Festival
• English Riviera Air Show
• GoldCoast Oceanfest
• Plymouth Armed Forces Day
• Bideford Soap Box Derby
• Mid Devon Show
• Torbay Royal Regatta
• British Fireworks Championships
Date: Saturday 5th April 2025 (10am – 4pm)
Location: Bideford Quay, Bideford (EX39 2HJ)
Admission: Free
Website: discoverbideford.co.uk
Part of a series of foodie events that take place in towns across Devon each year, eat:Bideford is one of the most popular festivals in Devon and set to make a big return in 2025.
Taking place on Bideford Quay in the heart of the town, here you’ll find over 50 stalls serving the best local produce and cuisine.
Ran as a not-for-profit event, this Devon festival doesn’t charge for admission, and with all the money spent being pumped back into local businesses, it’s a great way to get a taste of what local suppliers have to offer whilst supporting small and independent businesses.
Even if you aren’t staying close to Bideford, there’s another 24 ‘eat’ events hosted in towns across the South West throughout the year, so you don’t have to miss out!
Date: 3rd – 5th May 2025
Location: Brixham, South Devon (TQ5 8DY)
Admission: Free
Website: brixhampiratesfestival.com
Similar to many coastal towns across the South West region, Brixham plays host to an annual Pirate Festival that sees thousands of attendees flock to the town, sporting their best swashbuckling gear.
First held in 2007 with the purpose of bringing some excitement to the April Bank Holiday weekend, this Devon festival grew so large over the years that it now draws in attendees from all over the world.
During this two-day festival, visitors can expect to see a host of different events taking place, including a visit from the Atyla sailing ship and demonstrations from the fantastic Trafalgar Gun Company.
In between the live action events, you’ll also find plenty of local food and drink stands and the town’s pubs opening their doors up for festival-goers to enjoy a jolly good pint!
If you’re lucky, you might even get to set foot on the Golden Hind, one of only two replicas of Sir Francis Drake’s famous ship that first circumnavigated the world in the late 16th century. Today, the replica can be found in the town’s harbour and is often used for this event.
Date: 16th – 18th May 2025
Location: Dartmouth Town Centre, Dartmouth (TQ6 9DY)
Admission: Free
Website: dartmusicfestival.co.uk
Held in and around the port of Dartmouth and the town centre, the Dart Music Festival will be returning this year for its 26th installment and is likely to be one of the best festivals in Devon during 2025.
Known for hosting over one hundred up-and-coming local artists, this three-day event takes over twenty plus venues in the town and is easily one of the biggest annual events held in Dartmouth.
With a main stage along the quay and taking over various bars, pubs and landmarks like Bayards Cove Fort for live performances, it’s an unforgettable festival that you simply can’t miss out on experiencing!
Discover more things to do during your visit, including perusing the Dartmouth Food Festival, by reading our Dartmouth travel guide.
Date: 30th May – 1st June 2025
Location: Esplanade Road, Paignton (TQ4 6BG)
Admission: Free
Website: englishrivieraairshow.co.uk
Held annually in the town since 2016, the English Riviera Air Show is the earliest date in the year where you can catch a glimpse of the famous Red Arrows. Hosted over a three day period at the end of May and the start of June, this popular Devon festival draws in enthusiasts from all over the country and the wider region every year, and it’s not hard to see why!
During the event, a bustling event village will pop up on Paignton Green, a fantastic location right next to the beach and esplanade, where you’ll find tonnes of local food stalls, independent traders and pop-up bars to enjoy, as well as plenty of live music acts playing throughout the event.
During the flyover, we’d highly recommend making your way down to the beach and finding a spot on the golden sands, as this tends to be the most popular viewing point.
Date: 20th – 22nd June 2025
Location: Croyde Bay, North Devon (EX33 1PA)
Admission: Children (under 6) – £11.25 | Children (6-17) – £88.25 | Adults – £99.25
Website: goldcoastoceanfest.co.uk
Entering its 26th year, Croyde Bay’s GoldCoast Oceanfest is an exceptional event that takes place annually over the last week of June. Unlike many of its counterparts, this Devon festival specifically focuses on hosting small and up-and-coming acts and has seen the likes of Ed Sheeran and Bastille perform here before they reached mainstream fame.
Taking place on the beautiful Croyde Beach, this event also hosts a range of surfing competitions and beach volleyball across the three days its hosted, offering a little bit of something for everyone to enjoy!
Date: Saturday 28th June 2025
Location: Plymouth Hoe, Plymouth (PL1 2PA)
Admission: Free
Website: plymoutharmedforcesday.co.uk
Easily one of the busiest events taking place in Plymouth each year, the city’s annual Armed Forces Day draws in thousands of visitors who flock to Hoe Park to celebrate Britain’s military history. Throughout this one-day event, you’ll find a host of military-themed ‘villages’ dotted around the park where former and serving members of the forces can meet up and connect.
Starting at around 10am, this family-friendly Devon festival hosts food and drink stalls across the park throughout the day, as well as lots of live demonstrations, talks and a much-anticipated Junior Field Gun competition for the kids. Finishing up at around 5:30pm, this is when the main event ends and the evening concert begins at the festival’s main stage, lasting until around 10pm.
For more things to get up to whilst here, check out our comprehensive Plymouth Travel Guide!
Date: Sunday 6th July 2025
Location: Bideford, North Devon
Admission: Free
Website: bidefordsoapboxderby.co.uk
Favourably known as “the greatest amateur racing event in the world”, Bideford’s Soap Box Derby is a brilliant event that anyone can get involved with! Starting at the Joiners Arms on Market Place, the route takes racers down the steep hill before banking left onto Grenville Street and a final right-turn onto the High Street leading down to the quay. Here, you’ll find a bustling event village where spectators can grab a drink and a bite to eat.
Due to its massive popularity, the pavements quickly fill up with visitors on the day, so if you’re hoping to bag a good spot, we’d highly recommend getting here as early as you can to secure your place! On the other hand, if you fancy having a go at competing yourself, make sure you build a kart that’s sturdy enough to withstand the dreaded ramps!
Date: Saturday 26th July 2025
Location: Knightshayes Court, Chettiscombe, Tiverton (EX16 7RG)
Admission: Children (Under 15) – Free | Adults – £17 (Early Bird) – £22 (On the Day)
Website: middevonshow.co.uk
Offering plenty to see and do for guests of all ages, the Mid Devon Show is one of the county’s most popular events, hosted in the middle of summer each year at the stunning showground at Knightshayes, a National Trust-owned property. Featuring everything from live entertainment to “best-in-show” competitions to classic cars and more, this one-day Devon festival is an experience you simply cannot miss out on!
Throughout the day, you’ll also see plenty of live music performances, as well as a host of whimsical activities like a tug o’ war competition, a petting area for giant tortoises, loads of food and drink stands and lots of local businesses selling their wares. Kicking off around 8:30am and lasting until 6:30pm, we’d recommend getting here as early as you can to secure a good parking space.
Date: 10th – 16th August 2025
Location: Royal Torbay Yacht Club, Torquay (TQ1 2BH)
Admission: Free
Website: rtyc.org
The Torbay Royal Regatta is one of the longest-running Devon festivals, hosted for the first time over 150 years ago in 1863. Suitable for IRC-certified vessels, Cruisers, J/24’s and sports boats, this lively competition sees sailing enthusiasts from all over the British Isles flock to the town’s harbour for a series of exhilarating races across the bay.
For those of you that’ll have your feet firmly on land, there’ll be plenty of things to do in Torquay during this popular Devon festival. On the first day, the Commodore’s Welcome Night is hosted for the hopeful captains taking part in the competition. Not only that, but with plenty of live music, a themed party night and a final prizegiving ceremony on the final day, it makes for an excellent event to experience, even if you’re not taking part in the sailing!
Date: 14th – 15th August 2025
Location: The Hoe, Plymouth (PL1 2LR)
Admission: Free
Website: britishfireworks.co.uk
Considered to be the biggest fireworks event in the UK, the British Fireworks Championships are hosted each year at Plymouth’s Hoe Park, drawing in pyrotechnics from across the country who come here to show off their skills. With a yearly attendance of around 200,000 people, it’s one of the biggest festivals in Devon and has grown in size and popularity every year since it was first hosted back in 1997.
Hosted over two nights in the middle of August, the event sees teams of firework companies put on their best displays, each one being allocated around 10 minutes to wow the audience. Judged by a team of local residents, this competition is perfect for attendees of all ages and makes for a great Devon festival for families looking for something a bit different to do!
Looking for even more things to get up to across the region? If so, then be sure to take a look at this list of the best places to visit in South Devon. Alternatively, if you’re still looking for a place to stay, then taking a look at these South Devon cottages is a must-do!
I'm Rob and I joined the Sykes team in February 2024. I am a passionate writer and have always enjoyed holidays in the UK, especia...
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