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Beacon Villages Journal
Ursula's Corner

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Folk festival continues to attract

Always entertaining, the 29th Dartmoor Folk Festival continues to attract visitors from afar to South Zeal where it is being held over the weekend from Friday, 11th to Sunday 13th August with a strong line-up of artists that includes Sid Kipper (Sunday only), The Devil's Interval, The John Dipper Band, Tom Napper and Tom Bliss, Martyn Wyndham Reed and No Man's Band, Hearts of Oak, Cornish Songwriters, Grand Union (Saturday evening ceilidh), Rob Pudner and Chucklefoot. Colourfully costumed Morris and other traditional dance teams also continue to be a regular feature of this popular event and there will also be a welcome return of Tony Beard, Dave Wills, and the Dartmoor Pixie Band during the weekend. The festival’s extensive programme includes the Dartmoor step dance and broom dance championships, music and song sessions, ceilidh, dance workshops, a fayre, crafts, music hall, Sunday ramble, folk service and events for children sufficient to ensure that once again it will extend its reputation as one of the top events in the UK folk calendar.  Camping is available in fields near the festival site and details and information on the festival can be found on its website, www.dartmoorfolkfestival.co.uk.

Annual Art Exhibition

The wide range of art styles anticipated from artists from Okehampton, South Zeal, Cheriton Bishop and throughout Mid and West Devon continue to be displayed by members of the Chagford Art Group in their annual exhibition in the town’s Jubilee Hall until Saturday 12th, opening 10.00am – 5.00pm.daily, admission free. Members are present each day to greet visitors and talk with them about this year’s exhibits and discuss with those interested the future plans of the group. Oils, watercolours and a wide range of media can be found in this year’s exhibition being used by artists to illustrate, among many subjects, English landscapes, spectacular skies, still life and fun-filled naïve worlds. The group welcomes new members and more information can be obtained by calling 01837 840547.

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Finalising Flower Festival

The organisers of the annual Flower Festival held in St. Andrew’s Church, South Tawton, that takes place from August 18th – 20th are finalising their arrangements for the various stands and stalls that will be present throughout the weekend. Donations that are always appreciated from parishioners will be made welcome once again. Wendy Redstone will be pleased to hear from those that wish to offer items for the Tombola (bottles, unwanted gifts etc), plants or cut flowers and gardening books for the weekend stall, cakes or savouries for the refreshments, and she can be contacted on 01837 840547.

Booking for Bubbles and Bits

The ‘Bubbles and Bits’ summer concert in St Andrew’s Church, South Tawton on the Saturday 19th August at 7.30pm. features Christine and Roger Cleverdon (piano and baritone). Both are retired professional musicians, Roger having sung in the choir of Westminster Cathedral for 25 years and Louise is a professional opera singer who has recently appeared in London, in an opera in about childbirth called ‘PUSH!’ Louise can really deliver, on the music front that is, as can the other artists appearing, Michael Thayer (Bass), Keith Gillespie (Tenor), Louise Mott (mezzo soprano) and Carolyn Knapman (Soprano). It is however necessary to book tickets in advance for what promises to be a wonderful evening and the number to call is 01837 849048.

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Post office plus

Summer visitors are finding the extra values attached to popping into the local post office, or at least the one that now operates twice weekly in Belstone Village Hall. Experienced each week by local residents and now discovered by many others is the added attraction of the Belstone art group being present in the hall, with their work every Tuesday, 9.30-12.30. Every Thursday the pleasure added to a post office visit during the same times is the satisfaction to an appetite that the Community Café can provide and it is little wonder that walkers and holiday-maker from afar are finding that postal services at Belstone add a little extra to life.
 
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