MUSE are coming to Town!

Local Boys Make Good! The hugely successful Rock Band MUSE are returning to their home town of Teignmouth to play a Gig on the Den, the open grassy area on the sea front. The boys, lead singer Matt Bellamy, Dominic Howard and Chris Wolstenhome were raised in Teignmouth and went to the Community College where they joined together to make music. The band are calling the event "A Seaside Rendezvous" to launch their latest album prior to a tour of the UK, Europe and the USA. Tickets for Teignmouth fans were made available locally and the queues quickly built up 24 hours in advance to snap them up. I went along to chat to the waiting crowds and found a carnival atmosphere among the people, young and old, patiently waiting. There will be two concerts on the 4th and 5th September. What a weekend that will be!

Dawlish Carnival and Air Show

The highest accolade for this summer's entertainment must go to Dawlish. A packed week of well organised, first class events thrilled the thousands of spectators. All the usual carnival activities were on show with something for all ages. A packed programme featured the Wakefield Majorettes, a superb display from a group visiting Dawlish for over 30 years. All the fun of the fair and the Carnival procession. The highlight of the week was the Air Show, this year bigger than ever and featuring the main stars, the Red Arrows led by the classic Avro Vulcan, the only one in existence. Restored at a cost of £8M by the Vulcan to the Sky Trust, this majestic example of British Aviation history finally took to the skies again in June 2008 and joined the Red Arrows here in the little town of Dawlish in Devon. Magnificent!

Flower Shows and Prize Vegetables

The Bovey Tracey Horticultural Show is down the road from the Stover Canal. With a backdrop of the old bridge and the imposing former water mill there was a real country town atmosphere at the Show. All the favourites were on display from flower arrangements to marrows, pottery and paintings and lots of entries by schoolchildren plus a super dog show! Devon cream teas were in great demand and all the prize winners beamed as they were presented with cups and trophies for their efforts.

The Stover Canal

An Open Weekend at the Stover Canal proved to be a real eye-opener! The Stover Canal Society was formed in 1999 and is dedicated to restoring the canal as a living monument for all to enjoy. With the permission of Network Rail and Sibelco (formerly Watts Blake and Bearne) ball clay works, the debris of 70 years of neglect is being removed from the canal. The work is undertaken by regular volunteer working parties, taking care to preserve existing habitats and developing new ones in areas that have been cleared. The Stover Canal was built by James Templer who saw an opportunity to transport ball clay from the Bovey Basin to Teignmouth Docks. Granite was transported from the Haytor Quarries on Dartmoor. Lignite, iron ore and pottery from Bovey Tracey was also transported down the canal. The canal itself is 2 miles long over its entire length rising 19'3" through 5 locks. More information can be obtained from http://www.stovercanal.co.uk/ The Society slogan reads - "Built by our Grandfathers. Preserved for our Grandchildren". A worthy cause indeed.

Reduce Re-use Re-cycle!

This catchy slogan heralded a day of fun with serious message. In common with all local authorities Teignbridge is charged with reducing the amount of waste going into landfill sites by promoting and enabling every household to re-cycle as much as possible. There is already a concerted effort to reduce the number of plastic bags in shops and supermarkets but we still have to keep getting the message across. Earlier in my Blog I reported on the superb work of TRAIL and their Wearable Art Show. This Summer Fest was a day long feast of entertainment and fun for children and families. Puppet Shows, a band using instruments made from pipes, tins and barrels. Children dancing with the Jiving Lindy Hoppers, and the hilarious giant Scotsman, Rory with his hound Ochrie causing mayhem on the Prom with a few well-aimed squirts! Two giant seagulls pushed the message that it is not a good idea to feed them. If food is too easy to find, they will forget how to fish! Currently TRAIL has exhibitions of sculpture and art on display in Teignmouth, Dawlish and Shaldon.

Burma Star Remembrance

August is the time to Remember the Forgotten 14th. Together with the Mayor of Newton Abbot, David Howe, I joined members of the Teignbridge Burma Star Association to lay a poppy wreath at the War Memorial remembering the end of the War in Japan 64 years ago and comrades in arms who fought the forgotten war in the jungles of the Far East. In particular those prisoners of war forced to build the infamous Burma Railway. Supported by the Royal British Legion the Burma Star Association now has only six surviving members locally who are determined to continue to honour their friends and comrades until the last man.

Teignmouth Regatta

Continuing the nautical theme. Teignmouth Regatta is about serious sailing competitions but there is plenty to entertain landlubbers as well. Races, treasure hunts, Punch & Judy, pavement artists, a rowing race up the River Teign to Newton Abbot Quays for the Barham Cup and stiff competion in the off shore Seine boat and gig races. Teignmouth can boast the largest Rowing Club in the UK with over 500 members, all keen to show what they can do and plenty of lady rowers can testify to the benefits of rowing to keep in trim! Teignmouth rowers take part in the rowing races held in the Scillies each year. The evenings down on the River beach are packed with revellers enjoying the Regatta barbeque, a tug of war, home-made raft races, music and plenty of liquid refreshment to keep everyone going.

Shaldon Water Carnival

Across the Teign Estuary lies the lovely Regency Village of Shaldon. Every year they run their own version of a Carnival. It is not the street variety, but a fun packed procession of boats of all sorts, from dinghies to cruisers dressed overall, sailing round and round the estuary sporting all kinds of whacky themes and making a great deal of noise in the process. There are plenty of spectators crowded on to Shaldon and Teignmouth River beaches cheering them on - oh and the pubs on both sides do a roaring trade too!

Schools Out!

Carnivals, Regattas, Fun Days and Punch and Judy!! Time to kick off the main summer events with a week packed with fun, music, entertainment and It's a Knock Out. Yes Teignmouth Carnival is here again with lots to do for all the family The pace is non-stop with all the fun of David Rowlands Fair adding to the colour and excitement leading to the finale and the Grand Procession of beautifully decorated floats carrying Carnival Queens and Princesses who have come from a wide area of Devon to show off their displays. What a lot of work and effort goes into each float! The end of Carnival Firework display lit up the estuary with plenty of ooh's and aah's from the crowd as each rocket burst overhead.