Simonsbath Festival 2012 coming this spring

Simonsbath is to hold a festival this Spring from 7 May to 23 June. The focal points of the festival will be the newly-renovated church of St Luke’s and the historic Sawmill, which has also been recently renovated. The festival will be launched with traditional May Day celebrations at the Sawmill with its riverside field. Live music, dancing – including maypole dancing by the children of Exford School – food and drink will herald the arrival of spring on Exmoor.

A variety of social, cultural and recreational events will follow during the festival period, including classical, jazz and world music concerts and talks by well-known local people at St Luke’s Church, with extra activities and events laid on at the Sawmill and Exmoor Forest Inn.

Among the star attractions, the Russian Orthodox Choir from the Hermitage in St Petersburg will be performing on Saturday 12 May at St Luke’s, followed by a concert by harpist Keziah Thomas on Saturday 19 May, while Ricky Romain and Jon Sterckx will perform Indian classical music, playing the sitar and tabla, on Saturday 16 June. Music students from Trinity College will also give a concert, and the Alan All Stars Dixieland Jazz Band are set to make a welcome return to St Luke’s during the course of the festival.

The festival will close with Midsummer’s Day celebrations on 23 June with all the traditional trimmings, a live band, dancing, Morris Men, food and drink at the Sawmill and the riverside field.

To join the Simonsbath Festival mailing list and be kept up-to-date with events, or if you would like to be involved, please contact Victoria Thomas on 01643 831343 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .