Welcoming our first woman Town Crier – Charlotte Howard
Hello Devizes! I’m Charlotte Howard, the new Town Crier of Devizes, and the first woman to hold the role.
I’m based just down the road in West Lavington and I’ve never exactly been known for being quiet! I’ve spent more than 30 years involved in theatre as an actor, director and producer, and in a previous life I was the world’s first fully licensed female boxing MC. I’m also a professional garden designer and, in one of my more unusual claims to fame, once appeared in Doctor Who as Marilyn Monroe!
Here you go, my first ever proclamation!
It’s far too long because there was so much to say! What can I say? September is a busy month in Devizes!
Sorry to the dog I scared! With my 
OYEZ! OYEZ! OYEZ!
Good people of Devizes listen and give ear!
After a long, hot, summer, autumn is waiting in the wings. But …Devizes isn’t quite ready to go into winter quietly! This September, our town is seeing out the summer with music, food, theatre, history and, above all… COLOUR AND JOY!
First, on Saturday the 5th… Devizes Carnival is back!
The streets will come alive with colour, music, performers and community spirit as the Carnival procession sets off from Long Street at ten past six! So, line the streets, cheer them on and celebrate one of Devizes’ great traditions!
And there’s more! From 6 until 9pm, there’s a FREE Family Disco at the Corn Exchange.
Then, on Saturday the 12th, as part of Devizes’ Heritage Open Day, some of our historic buildings will throw open their doors for you to explore including a free backstage tour of the Wharf.
And as darkness falls…
Dinosaurs are coming to Hillworth Park!
Jurassic Park will be showing under the stars at the Twilight Cinema.
If you survive the dinosaurs, return to Hillworth Park on Sunday the 13th to hear Devizes Town Band present a free Proms in the Park from two o’clock.
And that’s not all! There’s plenty more happening around Devizes this September!
On Wednesday the 2nd, swap your old jigsaws for a new challenge at the Jigsaw Puzzle Swap at the Canal Museum.
On Thursday the 3rd, Man Down meets at Devizes Opendoors, supporting men’s mental health.
Saturday the 5th is especially busy! There’s a fancy-dress six-a-side cricket at Devizes Cricket Club; open days at both the Literary Club and the Wyvern Club:, and Lightnin’ Willie & the Poorboys play the blues the Long Street Blues Club.
On Monday the 7th, the Lawrence Art Society meets at the Conservative Club, and on Tuesday the 8th you can meet your local councillors in the town hall at the Town Council Surgery.
Saturday the 12th the Devizes Bicycle Festival will encourage you to get on your bike at the Corn Exchange.
On Sunday the 13th, there’s Community Bingo at the Moonrakers.
On Friday the 18th, take to the water for a Music and Canal Cruise from the Wharf …. or test your knowledge at the Pelican’s Charity Quiz.
On Saturday the 19th, Devizes Chamber Choir invites you to Come and Sing Fauré’s Requiem at St Andrew’s Church.
On Sunday the 20th, there’s a free Spiritual Fayre at the Nursteed Centre.
Unpaid carers can enjoy a free Afternoon Tea at the Bear Hotel on Wednesday the 23rd, and on Thursday the 24th there’s a Quiz and Canal Cruise from the Wharf.
On Friday the 25th, U3A welcomes new faces to its Coffee Morning at the Conservative Club, while Virgil and the Accelerators return after 10 years to the Long Street Blues Club that evening.
And on Saturday the 26th, Sustainable Devizes and St Andrew’s invite you to their Lovely Lunch.
Then, from Saturday the 19th until Sunday the 27th… COME HUNGRY!
It’s the DEVIZES FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL!
Nine days of eating, drinking and discovering fabulous food, beginning with a free Artisan Producers’ Market (right here) in the Market Place, and ending with World Food Day at the Corn Exchange.
For those who fancy a little drama with their dinner…Scenes from an Execution comes to the Wharf Theatre from Monday the 21st to Saturday the 26th.
On Saturday the 26th… Devizes will see out September in a glorious EXPLOSION OF COLOUR for the DOCA COLOUR RUSH!
Walk, jog or stagger five kilometres around Devizes while being showered with coloured powder until everyone looks like a rainbow! At the same time the accessible two-and-a-half-kilometre WHEELIE RUSH will set off from Hillworth Park. Both routes finish in the Market Place!
When you reach the Market Place…DON’T BOTHER DUSTING YOURSELF OFF! Because Devizes isn’t finished with you yet! As night falls, Jenning’s funfair will be in town… for one of our town’s oldest and most gloriously ridiculous traditions…
The Great Devizes Confetti Battle
A tradition that has been making a magnificent mess of Devizes for generations, and may well be unique in the world! Wait for the cannon at a quarter past eight… Then… LET BATTLE COMMENCE!
When the confetti settles, look to the skies for the grand fireworks finale! *
Carnival! Dinosaurs! Music! Theatre! Food! Colour! And enough confetti to cover the Market Place!
What better way to say goodbye to a long, hot summer…
And herald the arrival of autumn… THAN WITH COLOUR AND JOY!
GOD SAVE THE KING!
𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐲, 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫! 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞’𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐲.
Get booking Food & Drink Festival events
“Devizes becomes one enormous celebration of food and drink. Food venues create special menus, pubs host events, local producers open their doors, experts share their knowledge, families join in activities, people discover places they’ve never visited before, and conversations about food seem to spring up everywhere.”
Alison Radevsky,
Chair of Devizes Food & Drink Festival
Wiltshire Museum Events
“This is a fantastic museum, the inside spread over 2/3 floors belying its small frontage. Its full of exhibits, information boards and artefacts of local and national importance. It’s well laid out, open and not cramped and has something of interest for all ages including interaction boards for the younger visitors. What’s especially good is that it’s not expensive . . . recommended and not to be missed.”
Visitor from Poole, Tripadvisor
