• COUPLES jived the afternoon away to the music of AJ’s Big Band. Ref: P1872-22-08SH

• Frances Jones, nine, gets a hand from mum Fiona. Ref: P1630-22-08SH

Exmouth Festival fun!

PICTURES BY SIMON HORN
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THE EXMOUTH festival was overflowing with musical and artistic joys, delighting every face-painted child and weather-bracing adult.

The nine-day festival bonanza started with the ringing of the angelic voices of children, welcoming what has been named the “best festival ever”, in the Primary Schools’ Concert.
The festival was split up over several areas including Manor Gardens, the Pavilion, the Town Hall and Langstone Park in Brixington, with events throughout the day and special performances at night including the Exe Factor battle of the bands.

The Bank holiday weekend was jam-packed with fresh talent, with 17-year-old Vicky Hewitt giving soulful solos as the youngest performer in the festival, vibrant music including the Streetheat Samba group of feathered drummers, which even got parents to dance in the crowds with their children, and not to mention the scores of cats, tigers and fairy children running round the trees.

The “Vibing” committee decorated all the venues around the town and the back-drop to the main stage was painted by Sally Rich, an Exmouth practising artist.

The Children’s Marquee in Manor Gardens was a resounding success with hundreds of children packed into the tent watching Clive Pig the storyfella, the Exmouth Shanty Men and the Guardian fiction short-listed author Tanya Landman.

Irena Green, a festival volunteer for three years running, said: “We’ve had a fantastic weekend with the story-telling and we’ve had lots of dads coming in and doing some colouring and bonding with their kids. The storyfella was amazing, he kept everybody mesmerised.”

The organisers were on tenterhooks waiting for the weather to turn against them and spoil the fun but for the most part it was beautiful sunshine all around, although there was some constant ducking under the Manor Gardens stage on Bank Holiday Monday.

The Exmouth Festival has remained a tradition for residents and a strong attraction for visitors who can take part in the simple pleasures like having a Devon cream tea on the beach or creating oversize bugs and butterflies.

Claire Quinn and her daughters, Kitty, 4, Isabel, 2, Josie, 2, were surprised to have stumbled on the festival after coming from London for the weekend: “We took part in the making of the bugs and have really loved it,” she said. “We will definitely come back.”
The beautiful weekend ended with the awards ceremony at Manor Gardens with Mayor Joy Whipps thanking Nicky Nicholls, festival organiser, and the volunteers for their hard work.

The festival finished with a performance by the hugely anticipated Joey the Lips, at the Imperial Recreation Ground.

• JASMINE Beal, eight, shows off her hula hoops skills. Ref: P1616-22-08SH	• YOU never forget how to hula hoop – Margaret Earl shows her skills. Ref: P1620-22-08SH
• Ref: P1643-22-08SH	• Ref: P1879-22-08SH
• Ref: P1873-22-08SH	• Ref: P1868-22-08SH
• NOSTALGIC entertainment in the Manor Gardens. Ref: P1864-22-08SH	• Ref: P Exfest3 DR
• Ref: P ExFest2 DR	• Ref: P EXFEST1 DR

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