What's On

Events and Attractions

This year we again enjoyed some popular attractions from previous fairs including:

  • Devon Axe Team display featuring the Devon Lumberjack Championships (Forestry Ring)

  • Town Crier competition (Church House Square 11am, 2pm)

  • Family Dog Show (Jubilee Ring 11am)

  • Organ Recitals with a modern twist (St. Pancras Church 11am, 1pm, 3pm)

  • Terrier Racing (Main Ring 11.45am, 3.15pm)

  • Dartmoor Hill Pony Display Team (Main Ring 1pm, 4.30pm)

  • Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team (Jubilee Ring 1.30pm)

  • Vintage Cars and Machinery Parade (Main Ring, 1.45pm)

  • Canine Capers (Jubilee Ring 2pm)

  • Border Morris Dancers (Jubilee Ring 3.30pm)

  • Uncle Tom Cobley downhill race (Main Ring 3.45pm)

  • Bale Tossing competition (Jubilee Ring 5pm)

  • Tug of War competition (Below Main Ring 7pm)

We were also excited to welcome some new attractions this year, including:

  • Shire Horse Display Team (Main Ring 12.30pm, 2.45pm)

  • Dart Angling Association fly fishing demonstrations (Moor Field)

  • Clayzer laser clay pigeon shooting (Moor Field)

  • Egg Tossing competition (Jubilee Ring 4pm)

Devon Axe Team

A member of the Devon Axe Team demonstrating lumberjack skills

Music

The ever-popular ‘Folk at the Fair’ returned with great local artists playing all day in the main beer tent, with additional bands playing at The Rugglestone Inn and The Old Inn as well as on the Village Green.

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Food and drink

There’s always plenty to eat, with plenty of variety, at the Fair. In the village there’s The Rugglestone, The Old Inn, and The Cafe on the Green serving up delicious fare, and in the field there’s a great range of local food producers from all over Devon, offering everything from hog roast to Thai cuisine.

rural pursuits & agriculture

With its roots set firmly in the agricultural traditions of Dartmoor, Widecombe Fair remains to this day true to its origins.

From its beginnings as a popular Fair, dealing mainly in local breeds of cattle, sheep, ponies and the odd intransigent spouse, it’s become over the years a showcase for the cream of locally-bred Dartmoor stock, as well as being the premier event of the moorland social calendar.

A great range of interesting and amusing rural pastimes are available to participate in, or just witness, such as the inimitable Dartmoor Border Morris team, Bale-Tossing and the famous Uncle Tom Cobley Downhill Race (not for the faint-hearted!).

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arts & crafts

We’ve always been keen to promote local craftsmen and women at the Fair, both those pursuing a more traditional line, as well as those more contemporary, from photographers, jewellers and potters, those working with leather, wool, wood, slate and so on, through to thatchers, bakers and wheelwrights. Take a look around the huge variety of craft stalls for something to take home, or perhaps get some early Christmas shopping done!