Tag Archives: marquee

Midsummer Fun in the Babbacombe Festival Marquee

For the 8th consecutive June the stunning Babbacombe Festival Marquee will take its place on Babbacombe Downs and open its doors for five days of great entertainment. This year there will be an opening night party with local band, 3 Bags Full, entertaining the crowds to get everyone in a Festival mood. As always, there’s something for everyone as the five days unfold. Daytime activities include a look at the local area during World War 2 in a special event on the Thursday entitled “Babbacombe, The War Years”. There’s a scrumptious Devon Cream Tea in aid of CLIC Sargent on the Friday and Saturday 21 June will be celebrating all things Armed Forces with the Torbay Armed Forces Day on Babbacombe Downs and in the Marquee. Featuring all sorts of exhibits, surprises and some wonderful nostalgic “Concert Party” style entertainment this is a real family day out.

 

Evening events include the ever-popular Oompah Night and this year on midsummer night, Saturday 21 June, the Midsummer Festival Funk Party will take place raising funds in aid of Rowcroft. With live music from great band, Funkty Dumpty, and some disco classics, the dance floor is sure to be full all evening. Tickets for both these events are available to buy at www.babbacombefestival.com. One of the Festival Marquee organisers, Nicky Allen, said “We’re delighted with the selection of events we have in the marquee this year. Our aim is to make the most of the marquee for the few days that it’s up and the way to do this is to provide events and entertainment that people want to be a part of. Our line-up includes some events that we have year after year as well as some new additions to keep everything fresh.” She added “Whilst the Marquee itself is pretty spectacular, so is the location. Babbacombe Downs is a very special place and we hope that lots of people will come along while the marquee is up and enjoy the great atmosphere created by this unique combination of venue, location, music, food & drink and, most importantly, people.”

Many of the events in the marquee are raising money for charity and the finale event is no exception. Sunday 22 June sees the annual Hanbury’s Fish and Chips Music Day take over the marquee, in aid of the Torbay Holiday Helpers Network (THHN). Starting at midday with live entertainment throughout from bands such as The Land of the Giants, The Stone Angels and ending on a high with headline act Mama Stone’s House Band.

For information and tickets visit www.babbacombefestival.com or get along to the Marquee Facebook page, new for this year, at www.facebook.com/BabbFestMarquee

Wildlife in the Marquee

Local, award-winning wildlife film-maker Andrew Cooper will be entertaining Festival-goers on Wednesday 19 June at 7.30pm with his entertaining evening entitled “Around the World in 80 BBC Wildlife Films”. Organisers of the Babbacombe Festival Marquee events have booked Andrew to provide the perfect way to spend a Wednesday evening.

Andrew Cooper is one of Britain’s most distinguished and influential television producers.  As a broadcaster, presenter, writer and international award winning wildlife film-maker, he is a familiar face on BBC television through his documentaries and live reports on wildlife and environment issues.  A biologist by training and described as a ‘top class speaker’ by the editor of BBC Wildlife Magazine, it is his work as a television producer with the BBC National History Unit based in Bristol, for which he is best known.

Andrew has been responsible for some of the most distinctive programming in the internationally renowned BBC ‘Natural World’ strand.  His programmes regularly feature in the top ten most watched television documentaries in Britain and are widely sold overseas.  Andrew is also a best selling author of nine books.

Nicky Allen, one of the event organisers, said “We knew about Andrew’s work and thought that it would be lovely to have him present an evening in the marquee.  After chatting to Andrew we decided on a presentation of his entitled ‘Around the World in 80 BBC Wildlife Films’ which I know has proved popular elsewhere.  We were looking for something a bit different for this mid-week event and we’re sure that this will capture the imagination of our guests.”

Tickets for this event are just £7 per person and are available to buy in person from the The Downs Newsagency on Babbacombe Road, via the website www.babbacombefestival.com or by phoning 07977 535563.  Tickets will also be available on the door on the night.

The marquee will be up and buzzing from Wednesday 19 June through to Sunday 23 June and will be home to all sorts of community, fundraising and party events whilst it’s there.  Full details of all the Babbacombe Festival events can be found at www.babbacombe.org with marquee event listings at www.babbacombefestival.com

Babbacombe Festival 2012 Launch

The organisers of the Babbacombe Festival are delighted to announce that the 2012 Babbacombe Festival will run from Friday 15th June to Sunday 24th June.

2012 will be the 6th annual Babbacombe Festival and organisers hope that as well as all the favourite events that we’ve seen in previous Festivals there will be lots of new things going on in and around Babbacombe and St Marychurch.

The aim of the Babbacombe Festival is to celebrate the area and its community. Of particular importance is encouraging local groups and organisations to take part. Committee member Arthur Christian says “We hope to include more groups in 2012. It’s easy to join us. You put on an appropriate event and we promote it through our extensive PR activities including leaflets, 20,000 printed programmes, a website and via local press and radio.” If you would like to run an event and be part of next year’s Babbacombe Festival simply visit the website at www.babbacombe.org and use the Contact page or telephone 07989 536450.

Another ever-growing aspect of the Babbacombe Festival is the live entertainment put on throughout the area and in the Festival Marquee on Babbacombe Downs. After the incredible success of the 2011 activities a stellar line-up is being planned for 2012. Alongside the beer festival, barn dance, Hanbury’s Fish and Chips Day and Armed Forces Day there will be lots more live music, great food and excellent entertainment.

Martyn Strange, organiser of many of the Festival Marquee events, said “It’s great to be part of the Babbacombe Festival. It involves so many people in the local community. It’s an opportunity to find out about all sorts of things that go on in the area as well as have a lot of fun and, in many cases, support some incredibly worthwhile causes. I think it’s excellent for the area and the feedback we get is wonderful.”

So, put the date in your diary and visit the website to make sure you keep up to date with all the plans.