Hello! Every pick this week is free, and it's one of the strongest weekends in a while.
Bouncy castles in Heavitree, sea shanties on the Quay, and a National Trust house with the entry fee waived.
This Weekend's Pick
Park Life Fun Day, Heavitree
Heavitree's big annual community day in the park, and this year's line-up is a good one: bouncy castles, Spangles the Clown, Sporty Stars and Happy Bubbles for the kids, with six bands on through the day including the Exeter Street Band.
RAMM are bringing their Summer of Colour craft stand too, so there's a spinner yoyo to make and colourful shells and minerals to get hands on with. Add local food stalls, the Park Cafe and a licensed bar for the grown-ups.
Entry is free, though bring a bit of change for the inflatables and the odd stall. Street parking only, or it's a short bus from the centre.
It's a fundraiser for the park, so a few quid in the bucket goes a long way. Close to home, easy to dip in and out of, and a whole afternoon sorted if the weather holds.
| When: | Saturday 12 September, 11am to 6pm |
| Where: | Heavitree Pleasure Ground, Whipton Lane, Exeter, EX1 3DN |
| Cost: | Free entry. Donations welcome, and some change for the inflatables. |
More Good Stuff
Quayside Shanty & Heritage Harbour Festival
The Quay fills with more than 20 shanty crews on Saturday, singing on the cobbles and in the pubs from midday right through to 10pm.
The family window is the afternoon, with Heritage Harbour activities on Piazza Terracina from 12pm to 4pm and the bands in full voice all around.
Cathedral and Quay car park fills fast on a festival day, so aim to arrive before 12 or walk down from town. No booking, no tickets.
| When: | Saturday 12 September, from 12pm (family activities 12pm to 4pm) |
| Where: | Exeter Quayside, EX2 4AN |
| Cost: | Free |
Heritage Open Days at Killerton
Killerton drops its entry fee for the whole weekend as part of Heritage Open Days, so a full National Trust day (the house, the chapel, the gardens and all that parkland) costs nothing but parking.
That's £2.60 for up to 2 hours or £5.20 all day, and free if you're a member. Just head to Visitor Reception for an entry ticket when you arrive.
The Bear's Hut and the hillside garden are the kid magnets, and there's an Iron Age hillfort at the top if you fancy a bigger walk. A normal adult ticket is £15 plus, so if Killerton's been on the list for a while, this is the weekend.
| When: | Friday 11 to Sunday 13 September, 10am to 5pm |
| Where: | Killerton, Broadclyst, EX5 3LE (about 20 minutes from Exeter) |
| Cost: | Free entry. Parking £2.60 for 2 hours or £5.20 all day, free for NT members. |
Cranbrook Gate to Plate
Cranbrook's first ever food festival, with more than 70 local producers, growers and makers set up around the town square and along Tillhouse Road.
It's run by eat:Festivals, whose events usually come with free entertainment (jugglers, buskers, a Punch and Judy show at most of them), plus live music and plenty of seating. Dogs welcome too.
Expect road closures around Tillhouse Road, so park at the edge of town or take the train, as Cranbrook station is right there. A brand new event this close to Exeter doesn't come along often.
| When: | Sunday 13 September, 10am to 4pm |
| Where: | Cranbrook Town Square and Tillhouse Road, EX5 7DJ (about 15 minutes from Exeter) |
| Cost: | Free entry |
Otterton Mill Open Day
A working watermill that's been grinding flour since the Domesday Book, with the wheel turning and the millers showing how it's done before the flour heads into the bakery on site.
It's the launch event for the Taste East Devon festival, so there are artisan makers selling crafts too, and self-guided trails along the River Otter where a family of beavers has set up home (no promises on a sighting, but the kids will look).
Parking at the mill is limited, so use the village and walk in. Pairs nicely with an hour on the beach at Budleigh afterwards.
| When: | Saturday 12 September, 11am to 3pm |
| Where: | Otterton Mill, Otterton, near Budleigh Salterton, EX9 7HG (about 25 to 30 minutes from Exeter) |
| Cost: | Free |
That's the lot. If you end up at any of these, a quick reply with a photo is always welcome, it comes straight to the inbox. Have a good weekend, and hope the weather plays along.
Details change. Check each venue's website before setting off, especially for timed entry or one-off events.
