Devizes Diary

The Devizes Diary brings you details of events happening in Devizes and Mid-Wiltshire. Read details of upcoming events, or if you're holding your own event, tell us all about it.

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May

17-25 May Devizes Food and Drink Festival

Once again the town is gearing up for its annual Food and Drink Festival.

It's a celebration of local and global foods. The festival offers a spectacularly varied, week-long menu...

Cocktail evenings, canal cruises, bread making, beekeeping and tea tasting are just some of the events you'll find in the extensive festival programme.

It all runs from the 17th to the 25th of May at venus all over town. There's more information online at devizesfoodanddrinkfestival.info

Starting Mon 20 May Dementia Awareness Week

Lloyds TSB in the Market Place will be supporting the Alzheimer's Society during Dementia Awareness Week by inviting members of the community to 'pop in' during the day - home made cakes are available for a donation. Staff members including our Business & Agricultural Managers will be taking part in a marathon cycling challenge on a static bicycle in the banking hall!

Come along and show your support for Dementia Awareness Week at Lloyds TSB here in town.

Thu 23 May Seend Primary Cake Stall

On Thursday the 23rd of May, people from Seend Primary School will be in The Brittox here in Devizes, with a whole stack of cakes and other produce for sale, in aid of school funds, so come along and show your support, and grab yourself a cake!

Fri 24 May Indie Rock and Roll at The Bell

Friday the 24th of May sees an evening of Indie Rock and Roll at The Bell By The Green from 8pm, featuring Beyond Wonderland, The Racket and NoFunClub.

There's more information online at sheer-music.co.uk

Sat 25 May Wiltshire Air Ambulance Gala Concert

On Saturday the 25th of May, come along to The Corn Exchange for the Gala Concert, in aid of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance.

It all gets underway from 7.30pm, and features the award-winning and internationally-acclaimed Wessex Male Choir and also the Opera Soloists, in a brilliant and varied programme. Opera hits include the famous Pearl Fishers duet, and the Flower Duet (made famous in the British Airways advert!).

The Wessex Male Choir won best male choir award at the 2011 International Eisteddfod, cementing their position as one of the UK's premier choirs.

Tickets for this event are just £10 available from Devizes Books on Devizes 725944 - or they're available on the door on the night.

It's the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Gala Concert, on Saturday the 25th of May from 7.30pm

Sun 26 May Bank Holiday BBQ

Come along to the Hare and Hounds pub - on Hare and Hounds street - for a FREE BBQ in the garden, with live music from 8 'til 10pm followed by karaoke in the bar!

Sunday the 26th of May at the Hare and Hounds pub, here in Devizes.

Fri 31 May King Rollo Blues and Roots

Hailed as "One of Britain’s finest acoustic blues performers" by the BBC's Paul Jones, King Rollo is a twenty-first century troubadour touring European clubs and festivals dispensing harmony to a jangled world. With four decades of experience to draw on his repertoire is wide and far-ranging, from down-and-dirty blues through to wistful songs in modern acoustic mode.

Rollo’s roots were in early ragtime and share-cropper renditions, though his song-writing skills have enabled him to leap out of the ‘cover-copyist’ style into fresh pastures that take you on a journey through Memphis to New Orleans and beyond, keeping a rattling rhythm throughout.

So come along to the Bear Hotel on Friday the 31st of May from 8.30pm for and evening of
Blues and Roots with King Rollo!

June

Sun 2 Jun Freedom Parade for the Rifles Regiment

The Town Council will be extending to the Rifles Regiment of the Freedom of the Town. The acts will continue the town’s long association with the army. In granting the Freedom it allows the regiment access to march through the streets of the Town on all ceremonial occasions with bands playing and swords fixed.

Come along to the parade on Sunday the 2nd of June in the Market Place.

5 - 23 June Devizes Festival

Once again Devizes Festival brings a wide range of high quality professional performers to the town - talks, film, theatre, comedy, classical, jazz, folk and more. Highlights this year include gardener Monty Don, New Model Army, comedian/performer Phill Jupitus, historian Michael Wood, agony aunt Virginia Ironside.

Tickets for most events are available from Devizes Books, and of course there's lots of information online at devizesfestival.co.uk

Wed 5 Jun Tea Dance

St Andrew's Church is holding another one of its popular Tea Dances on Wednesday the 5th of June.

Come along and enjoy the company. Tickets are £5 and available from Devizes Books.

There's more information online at standrewsdevizes.org.uk

Sun 9 Jun Bowood Charity Dog Show

Eight years on and with close to 80,000 visitors, the Bowood Charity Dog show has gone from strength to strength. This year will again feature the Tractor Ted Farm Show. The total raised so far comes to a staggering £163,000 given out to a broad range of Wiltshire charities.

The ethos of the show has always been to provide an event for all the family – a great day out, whether or not you have a dog; and Bowood House and Gardens is the perfect location.

One of the important parts of the day is the Dog Show, comprising family and fun classes, with companion classes for pedigree dogs, all being held under Kennel Club rules. There are also displays, attractions, shopping, children’s activities and food & drink stands.

It runs from 10am to 5pm at Bowood House and Gardens. There's more information online at bowooddogshow.org

Thu 11 Jun Gardening Talks at Woodborough

Stephen Lacey features at the Gardening Talks at Woodborough Garden Centre. The talk is titled 'Scent In The Garden'. It all takes place on Thursday the 11th of June from 7.30pm.

Tickets are £10 - via 01672 851249 - and there's more information online at woodboroughgardencentre.co.uk

Sat 15 June Alex Lowe

Devizes Festival presents ALEX LOWE, the former frontman of 90s indie band, Hurricane #1.

The band were signed to Creation Records by Alan McGee, who was responsible for the label and bringing us the likes of Oasis and Super Fury Animals! They had 2 albums and a number of singles which graced the charts.

He's playing at The Lamb Inn in town as part of the Devizes Festival, with support from Fantasy Radio sessionists, Phil Cooper and Jimmy Moore, both well received local singer song writers.

Doors from 8pm on Saturday the 15th of June.

Fri 21 Jun New Model Army

Devizes Festival are proud to present NEW MODEL ARMY.

Tickets are available from WeGotTickets.com and from to see New Model Army at The Corn Exchange. Tickets priced £20. We expect this show to sell out in advance, as the venue only holds 400 people - so purchase in advance to avoid disappointment!

New Model Army, playing in The Corn Exchange on Friday the 21st of June.

Fri 21 Jun i Flautisti

Friday the 21st of June at St Andrew's Chuch sees a programme of light classical music by the renowned
i Flautisti quartet. Highly commended by BBC Radio 3 as 'one to watch'. Tickets are just £10 from Devizes Books - or you can call the Devizes Rotary Club on 721562.

Sat 22 Jun Seend Primary Quiz Night

Come along to Seend Primary School on Saturday the 22nd of June for their Quiz Night, in aid of school funds.

Tickets are just £6.50 to include cheese, bread, biscuits and fruit on the table. A bar will also be available.

For more information call the school on Devizes 828334

Sat 29 Jun Kennet Accordion Orchestra

At St Andrew's Church on Saturday the 29th of June, come along to their Summer Buffet, followed by a concert featuring the Kennet Accordion Orchestra!

Doors open at 7.15pm, and tickets are available from Devizes Books.

There's more information online at standrewsdevizes.org.uk

July

Sun 7 Jul Wiltshire Air Ambulance It's A Knockout

It's here again! The opportunity to dress up as chickens, play on giant inflatables and possibly get soaking wet! The hilarious "It's a Knockout" will take place again this year at the Barbury Horse Trials in the main show ground.

Wiltshire Air Ambulance is looking for teams to join in the fun and the theme this year is..COMBAT!

All you need to do is find a team of 8/10 people to join you in your bid to be crowned Champions of 2013, and raise a minimum of £500 for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance. That's only £50 per person - easy!

You can use this event as a Team Builder for work or get together with friends and family to show your support. Regardless of your link to Wiltshire's Air Ambulance, they'd love to have you on board to help keep them flying and saving lives.

For more information, head online to wiltshireairambulance.co.uk

And don't forget the Wiltshire Air Ambulance It's A Knockout event, Sunday the 7th of July from 8.30am 'til 2pm at the Barbury Castle International Horse Trials!

Sun 14 Jul Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum Show

The Friends of the Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum will be holding their Annual Classic and Vintage Motor Show in the Grounds of the Museum from 10am to 4pm on Sunday the 14th of July.

This will include a special display celebrating 110 years of Standard Motors and 90 years of Triumph Motors. Entry is just £6 per adult and £1 per child. There will also be trade stalls and displays, on site catering, bar and access to the Museum itself.

So come along for a day of classic motoring action, Sunday the 14th of July at the Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum, Stockley Lane in Calne.

August

September

Sat 21 Sep Casino Night

Seend Primary School invite you to their James Bond Themed Casino Evening. There will be complimentary drinks on arrival, hot food by local celebrity chef Peter Vaughan, Cheeses by Spa Farm, Gambling Tables with professional croupiers and a disco. Tickets are £25 per person, all in aid of the school building project.

It's being held at the Seend Community Centre on Saturday the 21st of September. For more information call Clare Stynes on 07717 674 889 - you can also grab the details from our website devizesdiary.com

Fri 14 Jun Devizes Festival Presents: Devizes Showcase

Always a significant show in the Devizes Festival calender, Sheer Music gets to take over The Corn Exchange and invite new friends, fresh local talent and guest headliners to run riot at the 3 stage venue.

This year it takes place on Friday the 14th of June, featuring on the Sheer Music Stage local acts including Old Crows, Ghosts As Alibis and On Deaf Ears. Also in the basement of The Corn Exchange, Abe Juggins presents Rising From Death, The Faint And Fallen, Roads To Nowhere and more.

There's more information online at devizesfestival.co.uk and tickets are just £6, with doors from 6pm.