2017 Babbacombe Ukulele Festival

The  fourth Babbacombe Ukulele Festival took place on Saturday 3rd June 2017 at Oddicombe Beach. A great day for all musicians and audience.  Click here for some photos of the day. Click here to watch the Babbacombe Ukulele Strummers playing their set.

Also, click  here to watch the Shades of Grey, and here to watch the Babbacombe Bay Rollers – small groups of our members playing their sets.

Many thanks to the support and efforts of the Babbacombe Cliff Railway who made it happen, and of course a BIG THANK YOU to all the bands and performers who played to make it such a success.  Here they are:

  • Babbacombe Bay Rollers
  • All Saints Babbacombe School
  • Dawlish Ukulele Band
  • Marldon Musketeers
  • Ukulele Vagabond,
  • Plymouth Ukulele Players
  • Ukeabillies
  • Hatherleigh Ukulele Bashers
  • Sunnyside Up
  • Sidmouth Ukulele Strummers
  • Yealm Ukulele Club
  • Exeter Ukulele Band
  • Shades of Grey
  • Torbay Ukulele Band
  • Babbacombe Ukulele Strummers
  • Jeff Sharland and Friends
  • Newton Abbot Ukulele Club

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Article from about the 4th Babbacombe Ukulele Festival from the Herald Express Newspaper:

Ukulele Festival strikes the right chords with sunshine seaside crowds

Hundreds of people flocked to Oddicombe Beach to enjoy the fourth annual Babbacombe Ukulele Festival in glorious sunshine – and with it a flypast by the Red Arrows.

Seventeen ukulele bands performed to a very full Festival Marquee all day. Organised by John Ayres, Chairman of the Babbacombe Cliff Railway Community Interest Company and also a founding member of the Babbacombe Ukulele Strummers, it was the biggest and best so far.

John said: “We had a really fabulous day on the beach. I can’t believe how popular this event has become and how many bands now want to take part. We actually had a waiting list for extra bands that we just didn’t have time to include in this year’s line-up.

“There really is nothing else like our festival in the area and the enthusiasm for it among all the ukulele bands involved is a real pleasure. We are delighted with how the event went and will no doubt start planning  for 2018 very soon.”

This year’s bands were Babbacombe Bay Rollers, All Saints Babbacombe School, Dawlish Ukulele Band, Marldon Musketeers, Ukulele Vagabond, Plymouth Ukulele Players, Ukeabillies, Hatherleigh Ukulele Bashers, Sunnyside Up, Sidmouth Ukulele Strummers, Yealm Ukulele Club, Exeter Ukulele Band, Shades of Grey, Torbay Ukulele Band, Babbacombe Ukulele Strummers, Jeff Sharland and Friends and Newton Abbot Ukulele Club.

Cliff railway marketing manager Nicky Allen said: “Along with our other beach partners, including the team at Three Degrees West, we like to have a few events each year down on Oddicombe for various reasons.

“It’s a fabulous location and our Festival Marquee really sets the scene. The events are also a good way to introduce new people to Oddicombe Beach and the Cliff Railway.

But, finally, and most importantly, we all consider ourselves very much part of the community in Babbacombe and to be in a position to provide some great quality, free events for everyone to enjoy is something we are very proud of.