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Ivybridge Festival 2026
A giant inquisitive fox called Farrah is visiting Ivybridge on Saturday
She wants to understand from the people who live & work in Dartmoor- what is it like?
She will be wondering along Fore Street to Victoria Park, where the festival will continue!
Along the way she will watch the traditional Bridge Ceremony on the old Ivy bridge
Join the Carnival
on Saturday 6th June at 11am
Come dressed
to reflect Dartmoor’s
rivers & moorlanD
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Saturday 6th June
〰️
11am | Fore Street > Erme Road > Station Road > Victoria Park | 12pm
〰️ Saturday 6th June 〰️ 11am | Fore Street > Erme Road > Station Road > Victoria Park | 12pm
〰️
Saturday 6th June
〰️
Victoria Park
〰️
12-6pm
〰️ Saturday 6th June 〰️ Victoria Park 〰️ 12-6pm
Join us for a fantastic day of fun, creativity and community - Bring the whole family and enjoy a day packed with activities, entertainment and plenty to explore, all inspired by the beauty of our local surroundings.
This is more than just a festival – it’s a celebration of the people, nature and landscapes that make Ivybridge and Dartmoor so special, bringing our community together to connect with the environment in fun and inspiring ways.
FREE
〰️
JUST TURN UP AND ENJOY!
〰️
FREE 〰️ JUST TURN UP AND ENJOY! 〰️
What’s on?
A spectacular procession through the town, led by Farrah the Giant Fox
Live music and performances from amazing local groups
A fun-filled dog show with Gables
Bicycle sessions with the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust
Delicious food and drink to keep you fuelled
Family-friendly activities and entertainment throughout the day
Manor Close band
bringing Indie rock from South Devon, combining lyrics filled with teenage angst and anthemic choruses
FFO: Travis, Belle + Sebastian and The Verve
Headlining | 5pm | Victoria Park
A variety of artists have been commissioned as part of this first Rivers & Moorland Festival:
Lore of the Moor | Scavenger Hunt
Illustrator, Morgana Weeks, has constructed an interactive trail and scavenger hunt in Longtimber Woods where scavengers will engage with nature, searching along the woodland path for creatures as clues.
Pick up a map from the library or at Victoria Park and enjoy the annotated adventure through Longtimber Woods.
Queer Dart Lore | Dartmoor wool felt coat
Textile and costume designer, Lu Firth will present her large wool felt coat, co-created in workshops with various local LGBTQIA+ communities. Paying homage to the Dartmoor legend of ‘Fitz’s Well’ and the tradition of turning one’s coat inside out to break the Pixie’s spell, this coat made of local wool promotes and exhibits Dartmoor sheep and celebrates local queer craftmanship.
Thursday 7 May 2-5pm | Ockment Centre, North Street, Okehampton, EX20 1AR
Thursday 14 May 1-4pm | Princetown Community Centre, Tavistock Rd, Princetown, PL20 6QE
Come view this archival coat and contribute to the story by stitching on words or images of your own on Saturday in Victoria Park.
The Honouring Cloth | Stitching in memoriam
The Honouring Cloth is an evolving artwork co-created by all the people who stitch with recycled thread and needle onto a giant recycled tablecloth. It has already visited COP in Glasgow & Rio!
Any ‘non-human wild being’ you wish to honour (living, passed, at risk of extinction): insect, plant, fungi, creature or animal can be in stitched in full or in part. At the festival we will
concentrate on stitching hyper local species that are found on Dartmoor and along the Erme River and its catchment! Join us on Saturday at Victoria Park.
the Rewilderbeest | wild walks with folk Giants
Part folk hero and part ecological spirit, the Rewilderbeest, created by The Lost Giants Collective, roams moorlands and woodlands in search of belonging. A gentle grazer and moss enthusiast, the Rewilderbeest invites us to question, to share knowledge, and to spark conversations about land stewardship and our connections to the natural world and its materials.
Join the Rewilderbeest for an interactive, immersive, family-friendly walk through Victoria Park at 1pm & 3pm
Mrs. Murals | Wall Painting of local wildlife
Mrs. Murals is a local professional mural artist whose work is largely inspired by nature. Be sure to check out her new mural created especially for this festival to remind us of our connection to the natural world.
Unveiling of the mural and it’s location will happen on Friday 5th June, to be enjoyed as a permanent commemoration of our festival!
Canopy | Immersive Sound installation
Joyful, hopeful, and thought-provoking, CANOPY celebrates the connection between humans and trees. Artist Lorna Rees has collaborated with more than 500 people to develop the piece, from ecologists, artists and musicians to writers and young people. Enjoy the piece by strolling through Longtimber Woods and listen to a variety of sound recordings suspended from the trees. Suitable for all ages.
Opening Times | Friday 9am-7pm | Saturday 9am-7pm
Close & remote | Art installation about the river erme
Erme is a new public and digital artwork by Close and Remote, specially commissioned for the festival. Tracing the journey of the River Erme from its source high on Dartmoor to its estuary at Mothecombe, the work brings the river’s story vividly to life.
Installed on the footbridge at Glanvilles Mills Shopping Centre in the heart of Ivybridge, the piece reflects the river’s dramatic descent from moorland heights to sea level. Along the bridge, key locations - including Erme Head, Ivybridge and Mothecombe beach - are highlighted, inviting visitors to discover the river’s landscapes, communities and ecologies.
Using mobile devices, audiences can explore these points in greater depth, creating an interactive experience that connects people more closely with the River Erme and its rich environment.
You are invited to join us for the Ribbon Cutting and Opening of the festival weekend with Close and Remote on Friday 5th June 11am where we will unveil this original public attraction in Ivybridge for the very first time.
Ivybridge Community Arts | Local Characters
A variety of costumed characters from Ivybridge past, present & future will be on the procession, in Victoria Park and in Longtimber Woods on Saturday 6th June.
Frits on sticks | making workshop & parade
Young people have been learning about the conservation efforts on Shallowford Farm of the Marsh Fritillary Butterfly. Each participant has made a butterfly on a stick and been invited to the Carnival Procession and encouraged to bring their butterflies with them to join in and make a kaleidoscope of butterflies.
Workshop | Friday 5th June 11-6pm | Methodist Church, Fore Street, Ivybridge
Drum Devon | Music, performance & parade
Come and learn carnival rhythms derived from Brazilian samba styles, and join in the Carnival Procession. No experience necessary and instruments will be provided:
Introduction | Monday 11th May 6-7.30pm | Erme Primary School, Station Road, Ivybridge
Rehearsal | Friday 5th June 7-8.30pm | Methodist Church, Fore Street, Ivybridge
Performance | Saturday 6th June 10-12midday | Fore Street, Ivybridge
Story time bat Walk | Saturday 6th June 9:30-11pm
Bats are ancient and magical creatures; author and ecologist, Lisa Schneidau, will take us on a family-friendly dusk/dark walk combining traditional folk tales of bats, dusk and nighttime with information on bat ecology from a bat specialist. An evening in early June is the perfect time to discover bats and learn about their lives.
Meeting Point | Longtimber Woods | what3words///elections.practical.indirect