East Devon Soul Festival - Seaton festival

Wow that was a great ride.

Thanks so much for your support for our inaugural festival, where our home town of Seaton buzzed like an idyllic ibiza experience. From the bouncing Gateway Theatre, cool jazz at the beautiful Tramway, rough and ready sweaty dancing at the Old Picture House to the already iconic Cliff Corner soundsystem. It kicked off.

Please stay in touch for details of next years event, which will be on the 9th and 10th July 2027. We will be running an extra event at the Gateway Theatre on the Friday evening, featuring a mix of soul and latin artists and DJs.

Thanks to Arts Council England and Arts and Culture East Devon for funding to help support the festival.

Upcoming events

The Rumble-O’s

Date: 3rd July 2026

Entry: £12

Doors open: 7.30pm

Jurassic Soul Ampitheatre

Date: Saturday 4th July 2026

Entry: Free

Doors open: 12pm

SHEd takeover

Date: 4th July 2026

Entry: Free

Doors open: 7pm

In Progress

Date: Friday 3rd July and Saturday 4th July

Entry: Free

East Devon Soul Festival – The Egg/ Kaya Fyah/ Kayla Painter

Date: Saturday 4th July 2026

Entry: £12

Doors open: 8pm

East Devon Soul Festival

Date: 3rd and 4th July, 2026

Entry: £35 Full Festival £20 Gateway £10 Tramway £12 The Old Picture House

EAST DEVON SOUL ETHOS

intro

Seaton in East Devon is a town with multiple underused venues, containing an infrastructure to support a creative ecosystem. Sitting between the more vibrant towns of Lyme Regis and Sidmouth, Seaton has currently been left behind but East Devon Soul aim to help remedy that.

AIM

The aim of the East Devon Soul Festival is to bring music to the town to support socioeconomic enhancement, providing culture and economic life, encouraging people to come in and support local businesses. East Devon Soul Festival will generate an uplift in culture for the town, providing hope and opportunity for future events to occur and release the creative potential of the region, benefitting a wide demographic, including young people, families, older residents, and those who may otherwise have limited access to arts and live music due to financial, geographic, or social barriers.

opportunities

East Devon Soul Festival will offer opportunities for local musicians and performers to showcase their talents, promote wellbeing through shared cultural experiences, and strengthen social connections in the community. Through collaborations with schools, local businesses, and community groups, East Devon Soul will also provide volunteering, training, and educational opportunities to encourage participation in event production and the wider creative industries.

sustainability

Sustainability is a key driver for the East Devon Soul Festival. We want people to have a great time in a wonderful location whilst leaving as little carbon trace as possible. Underutilised venues will be opened up. For example, the iconic Seaton Tramway can be transformed into a beautiful 500 capacity venue. The Old Picturehouse Cinema becomes a hub for global funk music. The Hideaway Cafe at the far end of the promenade is a venue for late revellers, with DJ’s spinning electronic House or Drum and Bass. The beachfront Tide Cafe will have acts performing on its balcony.

green transport

Incentives will be provided to travel to the festival by green transport. The small gauge electric tram can ferry people in from campsites or Bed and Breakfasts of the nearby villages of Colyford or Colyton. Gas buses will be used to connect the nearest train station at Axminster with Seaton, a 20-minute journey. Electric tuk tuk’s will bring spice to East Devon life, a novel way of entering the festival from local villages. Arrival by bike and foot will be encouraged through elements of VIP access, food and accommodation discounts. We support EarthPercent, where artists donate a small portion of their fee to support protection of the environment and climate justice.

VENUES

Eyre Court

Local bands rocking the internal and external stage of the main pub in town, with beautiful gardens. Relax and soak in the atmosphere.

The Vault  

DJ’s spinning tunes through the day and night

Tide

DJ’s on the balcony – come and dance by the beach

The Hideaway

A coastal gem offering intimate performances and a relaxing atmosphere by the sea.

The Old Picturehouse

Step into a historic cinema turned venue, hosting live music and local talent.

The Gateway Theatre

Experience the soulful sounds of renowned artists in a vibrant community arts hub.

Seaton Tramway

Ride through scenic views and enjoy live performances in a unique heritage setting.

frequently asked questions

Tickets and Pricing

Tickets are available for individual venues or as full festival passes.

Full Festival Pass: £35.00 (Standard), £32 (tier two) or £28.00 (Early Bird).
Family Ticket: £100.00 (covers 4 people over the age of 14). Under 14’s free to Gateway and Tramway
Venue-Specific Tickets:
- The Gateway Theatre: £20.00.
- Seaton Tramway: £12.00.
- Old Picture House: £12.00 per night.
Booking: Tickets can be purchased through the Official East Devon Soul Website or via the Skiddle event page.

Lineup and Venues

The festival utilises several key locations across Seaton:

The Gateway Theatre: Headline acts Dr Meaker, Kaya Fyah, David Kayode, and The Guns of Navarone.
Seaton Tramway: Featuring UK rising stars of jazz presented by Tomorrow’s Warriors.
Old Picture House: Electronica The Egg, Kayla Painter, and Surf Rock dudes The Rumble-O’s.
Town & Beach Venues: Daytime street bands and local musicians perform across town, while DJ sets take place at venues like Tide, The Vault, and Hideaway.

Transport and Accessibility

The festival emphasises “green transport“ and local connectivity.

Seaton Tramway: A small-gauge electric tram connects the festival with nearby villages Colyford and Colyton.
Buses: Run between Axminster train station and Seaton (approximately a 20-minute journey).
Incentives: As an area of natural beauty and activity, we actively encourage those arriving by bike or on foot.
Parking: Seaton offers several long-stay and short-stay parking options, primarily concentrated along The Underfleet and the Esplanade. For the East Devon Soul Festival 2026 (3–4 July), the most convenient locations are the council-run car parks near the Seaton Tramway and the Gateway Theatre
Animals: Dogs are not allowed in the headline venues but both the East and West ends of the beach are accessible for them.

Food and Drink

Local Businesses: Attendees are encouraged to support local Seaton businesses for fresh and natural food.
Beachside Venues: Evening entertainment at beach-facing venues includes cocktails and beer service until the early hours.

Accommodation

East Devon Soul is a festival you can experience for the day or make a weekend of it, stay overnight or just pop in.

Seaton and the surrounding East Devon coastline offer a variety of accommodation ranging from modern seafront hotels to traditional country inns and expansive caravan parks.

Hotels & Inns – Seaton has several well-established hotels, many with direct beach access or central town locations including the Mariners, Premier Inn and Eyre Court. The Dolphin and Anchor in Beer are also accessible for the festival.
Bed & Breakfasts – These options provide a more personal experience, often including award-winning local breakfasts.

Self-Catering & Holiday Cottages – Ideal for families or larger groups, these properties are often located within the town or on nearby farms

Caravan Parks & Camping – For those seeking a rural or outdoor experience, Seaton has several parks with varied facilities including Axe Vale and Manor Farm

Coombe View Farm (Branscombe/Seaton); Bowhayes Farm – Glamping & Camping (Ottery St Mary); Bovey’s Down Farm (Honiton/Seaton); Blackbury Camp Site (Colyton)