Exeter Summer Festival

Exeter Summer Festival

Exeter Summer Festival, Friday 12 June to Sunday 28th June, Various venues

Exeter Summer Festival is one of the South West’s leading festivals and this year features another exciting line up of over 40 events.

The event kicks off on Friday 12 June with festivities culminating on  Sunday 28 June and is packed with musical and artistic treats to suit every taste.

Internationally renowned musicians perform classical, world, jazz and folk music in a range of venues. Plus there are special events for children and families, alongside comedy, street entertainment and theatre.

Friday 12th June will see the grand opening parade, street entertainment and the popular two-day craft festival on Cathedral Green. In the evening there will be plenty of family fun with a circus themed free party on the Quay with live music, events for children and a grand firework finale.

Exeter Cathedral is the magnificent setting for the classical concerts and these include the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Rotterdam Chamber Orchestra and Exeter Festival Chorus with Back Beat.  A first for the Cathedral is Ballet Espanol, Julia Grecos, a different way to see and feel flamenco.

Exeter Phoenix stages two great family events with the Adventures of Peter Rabbit and TPO, one of Italy’s leading interactive children’s theatre companies following the life of a butterfly. At the Exeter Northcott there is The Tiger Who Came to Tea.

The Exeter Festival Jazz Club at Exeter Corn Exchange, is a new feature this year opening with Claire Martin Trio. Internationally acclaimed jazz guitar virtuoso Martin Taylor and saxophonist Courtney Pine playing tribute to the evocative sounds of Sidney Bechet will complete the Festival jazz line up.

There’s nostalgia too with sounds of the 70s and 80s where you can sing your heart out to Abba favourites with Bjorn Again and The Beat will bring back memories of the 2-Tone Ska movement.

The popular show, Variety on the Exe, returns with the best in new circus vaudeville and is guaranteed to cause mayhem. Continuing to spread the feel-good factor across the city, top comedy lines ups will include Adam Hill, Brendan Burns and Pappy’s Fun Club.

On 27 June, Cathedral Green is the setting for a day of celebration marking the 1100th anniversary of the Diocese of Exeter and The Archbisop of Canterbury joins in the Songs of Praise outside Exeter Cathedral. During the day the Green will be used like a beach with family fun including acrobats, clowns and music.  The day’s finale is a concert by AJ’s Big Band.

With guaranteed entertainment for all the family and an extravaganza of diverse events, there really is something for everyone at Exeter Summer Festival!

For full events listings please click here .