A warm welcome to the festive season!

May 4, 2007, 4:10 pm

THIS year’s Exmouth Festival promises to be a fun-packed, music-filled event for all the family.

The four-day festival, from May 24-28, is a celebration of local music and art which aims to offer the best of entertainment.

Best of all, the acts are free because the festival is non-profit-making.

“We won’t be charging you to see any acts on the performance stage, but as usual we will be asking you to give donations,” festival organiser Nicky Nicholls said.

“Normally we ask for £1 per person per performance. This year we’ve booked a few really big acts, and for those we’ll be asking for slightly higher donations from those who can afford to give.

“We are not here for profit, but to make the best possible weekend of entertainment for you and your families.”

To help festival organisers plan for following years, they will be asking visitors to fill in an audience survey card giving their views about the event.

“There’s also space to write a festival limerick on the back,” Nicky added.

Festival fun kicks off on May 24 at 5pm when Exmouth’s primary schools sing to the skies in the Manor Gardens. Youngsters from Exmouth’s Funky Latin Jazz will also show off their fancy footwork.

Performances from Centre Stage, Songlines world music choir and the Exe Factor competition, where eight bands of local musicians compete to win £100, round off the festival’s first day.

Kite making, African drumming and Appalachian clog-dancing workshops take place in Manor Gardens on Saturday morning.

In the afternoon a musical medley takes place in Exmouth when acoustic duo Marnie, the Budleigh Salterton Male Voice Choir and Exmouth Amateur Operatic Society provide the sounds.

Elsewhere, throughout the day, visitors can enjoy umbrella decorating, Punch and Judy or art and music workshops.

A Circus Berzercus skills workshop, Tatty Bumpkin - a multi-sensory storytelling session - 3D art, clay sessions and high energy dance with FireStone are just part of the jam-packed programme of events planned for May 28.

A home-made parade gives people the opportunity to showcase what they have made or created during the festival, while an afternoon ceilidh offers the chance to let your hair down and enjoy traditional Irish music.

Latin and Salsa dance guru Angus Peters is holding a high-energy workout in the morning and all are welcome.

For those with two left feet, Angus is running a beginners’ afternoon Latin dance class, with partner Christina.

One of England’s finest singer-songwriters, Steve Knightly, will perform in the evening.

The Exmouth Festival draws to a close on Sunday May 27, when teddy bears everywhere will flock to Manor Gardens for a picnic.

As the sun goes down on the festival, the night heats up as a Caribbean beach party starts at 9pm and goes on until late.

This article was taken from Exmouth Journal