Christmas is getting closer - and there's plenty going on in this area during the next few weeks. Here's a round-up of some of the festive events taking place in local towns.

Wednesday Nov 22 -Sun 26 Ottery St Mary: Christmas Tree Festival 11am - 5pm in Ottery Parish Church. Refreshments available.

Exmouth Journal: Ottery St Mary Christmas Tree Festival 2023

Friday November 24, Ottery St Mary: Christmas lights switch-on and late-night shopping 4pm - 8pm. Stalls around town, torchlight parade, carols and music from the Silver Band

Saturday, November 25, Sidmouth: Christmas Craft Market, Dissenters, 10am - 4pm.

Tuesday, November 28, Sidmouth: Manor Pavilion Theatre: Christmas Memories with Neil Sands. Nostalgic Christmas songs and carols performed on a shimmering stage set, complete with falling ‘snow’.

Friday December 1, Budleigh Salterton: Christmas Fayre, St Peter’s School, 5.30pm - 7.30pm. Market will stalls and crafts, festive food and bar, games, raffle and tombola. Entry free.

Friday, December 1, Sidmouth:: Christmas Craft Market, Dissenters, 4pm - 8pm.

Exmouth Journal:

Friday, December 1 and Saturday, December 2, Sidmouth: Christmas Extravaganza at Kennaway House. Craft fair 4pm - 8pm on Friday, 10am - 4pm on Saturday. Live Christmas music on Friday 6pm - 8pm, Christmas scavenger hunt on Saturday and meet Santa on Saturday 2pm - 4pm. Christmas tea room open both days.

Exmouth Journal: Sidmouth Christmas lights

Friday, December 1, Sidmouth: Late night shopping, 5pm - 8pm. Entertainment from Sid Valley Radio and the Big Noise Choir. Sidmouth Hospice at Home will have the Information Hub open selling Christmas Cards and serving mulled wine and mince pies.

Exmouth Journal: Christmas at Sidmouth Toy and Model Museum

Sidmouth Toy Museum will be open from 4pm until 8pm with free entry all evening to its special Christmas display with lights and music – a chance to see nostalgia-stirring exhibits of toys and games from past times.

Exmouth Journal: Saturday, December 2: Exmouth: Winter Festival, with the theme Fire & Ice. 3pm - 8pm, The Strand. Late-night shopping and entertainment from local choirs, lantern parade, samba band, fire show, charity firewalk and Christmas lights switch-on.

Exmouth Journal: Christmas in Exmouth. Picture: Alex Walton.

Saturday December 2, Budleigh Salterton: A Christmas Carol, a comedy musical adaptation performed by Imperial Productions at Budleigh Salterton Public Hall. Tickets £14 adults, £7 children. Tickets available from Budleigh Information Centre

Sat 2 Dec, West Hill: Grand Christmas Fair at the Village Hall 10 am - 3:30 pm. £2 entry fee, under 12s free.

Sunday, December 3: Exmouth Pavilion - The Santa Show.

Wednesday, December 6: Exmouth Pavilion - A Christmas Carol.

Wednesday December 6, Budleigh Salterton Ladies’ Choir Christmas concert, St Peter’s Church, 7pm

Thursday, December 7: Exmouth Pavilion - Christmas Murder Mystery Dinner.

Exmouth Journal:

Friday, December 8, Budleigh Salterton Late Night Shopping. Shops will be open during from 6pm - 8.30 pm. Opening parade at 6pm with Honiton Twirlstars Majorettes, Santa, Exmouth Town Crier, St Peter's School, local clubs and societies. Carol singing with St Peter’s School, music from the Rock Choir and Exmouth Ladies’ Acapella Group, Santa’s grotto at Upham Antiques in the old Post Office, Christmas tree festival at Temple Methodist Church.

Exmouth Journal: Exmouth Museum exhibit decorated for Christmas

Friday, December 8, Exmouth: Dickensian-style fndraising evening at Exmouth Museum with Christmas displays, games, treasure hunt and lucky dip, 6pm - 8.30pm. 

Exmouth Journal: Sidmouth Town Band Christmas concert

Friday December 8 and Saturday 9: Sidmouth Town Band’s Christmas concert at the Manor Pavilion Theatre, featuring a wide variety of music to suit all tastes, including some new arrangements and a few 'humorous surprises'.

Sunday, December 10: Exmouth Pavilion - Christmas at the Musicals with Exmouth Youth  Theatre.

Sunday Dec 10, Ottery St Mary: Otter Vale Friends Xmas Bingo at Ottery St Mary Football Club, Eyes down 6:30pm.

Wednesday, December 13, Budleigh Salterton: Carols, mulled wine and mince pies at Seachange, 5.30pm until 7.30pm, guest appearance by Harlequin Strummers.

Friday, December 15 – Monday 18, Exmouth: Christmas Village. More than 100 stalls in a huge marquee in the Strand, along with Father Christmas, carols and festive food and drink. Traders have been chosen to cover all price ranges and include local artists, producers of Christmas-themed gifts, jewellery, clothing etc. Doors open at noon each day and the market will be open for trading until 7pm each evening. There’s a programme of entertainment each afternoon and evening, including a community singing of Fairytale of New York on the Saturday.

Friday, December 22, Exmouth: Opening of Christmas pantomime Beauty and the Beast at Exmouth Pavilion; runs until Friday, January 1.