Sham Fest

26/10/2026

*** THANK YOU EVERYONE! ***
Sham Fest 2026 certainly ended with a party vibe! 🥳
Not only did the rain actually stop but the Sunday afternoon music made us forget the storms.
Snake Oil put us in a mellow mood. Then Unity Roots got us all smiling...and dancing! 😎
Continuing the event for three days was definitely a good idea - one we'll repeat in 2027.

The final tally of money raised will take a few days to work out. (Unfortunately, there are a couple of bills to pay.)
But it looks like we should have raised at least as much as last year - £2,750.

So a massive thank you to everyone who made Sham Fest happen:
*to each one of you that came along
*to everyone who shared and liked our posts
*to the Pollyfield Community Centre team - the kitchen staff, bar team and cleaners!
*to the volunteers who helped out behind the bar
*to Andy Heath for making the b**r judging happen
*to all the musicians who played for free
*to Kev Cannon for being the sound man
*to Heritage Cob and Lime for being our main sponsor again!

AND to all our other sponsors and supporters:

~ APS Packaging ~ Aussie Connor ~ Black Bear Brewery ~ BLaK Property ~ The Blacksmiths Arms Bideford ~ Blights Motors Limited ~ Brunswick Wharf Regeneration ~ Clearwater Brewery ~ Councillor Jamie McKenzie ~ CountryLife Brewery ~ Dandy barbers Bideford ~ Devonshire Cork & Vine ~ Exeter Brewery ~ Geoffrey Cox ~ Jolene Burgess Foot Care ~ Mimick Signs ~ The Royal Hotel ~ St Austell Brewery ~ Torridge Green Party ~ Trade Plastics Direct

25/10/2026

*** THE PARTY CONTINUES! ***
A massive thank you to everyone who braved the weather to make it to Sham Fest yesterday 😇
We're back this afternoon - hopefully you'll be able to get there in the dry this time. 🙏
Doors open at 1pm and we'll be there until around 6pm (longer if there's still a crowd) - with music from Snake Oil from 2pm and Unity Roots from 4pm.

We had lots more cracking music yesterday - starting with the amazing Leona Whitfield. Hard to believe she's only 15.
When she's world famous, we'll have the photos to prove she got her big break at the Pollyfield Community Centre!
Thanks also to the wonderful Rhia Murgatroyd, Kev Beano Green, dogleg and Formidable Force for more great sets.
Joe Tucker and friends got everyone dancing with their reggae DJ-ing and congas.
Then we had the mighty and awesome Beckon The Wyrd with some excellent songs of their own, plus a few surprises. Storming stuff!

Come and join us this afternoon. Admission is FREE - we still have 19 real ales, w**es, c***rs, gin & rum on offer. (L***r, soft drinks etc. at the main Pollyfield bar.)

All proceeds in aid of East the water community food pantry and other local causes.
The kitchen will be serving hot food - roast potatoes with pork, beef or turkey - plus pigs in blankets!

Thank you to our main sponsor for 2026 - Heritage Cob and Lime, plus all the other businesses and individuals who have made the event possible.
*APS Packaging
*Aussie Connor
*Black Bear Brewery
*BLaK Property
*The Blacksmiths Arms Bideford
*Blights Motors Limited
*Brunswick Wharf Regeneration
*Clearwater Brewery
*Councillor Jamie McKenzie
*CountryLife Brewery
*Dandy barbers Bideford
* Devonshire Cork & Vine
*Exeter Brewery
*Geoffrey Cox
*Jolene Burgess Foot Care
*Mimick Signs
*The Royal Hotel
*St Austell Brewery
*Torridge Green Party
*Trade Plastics Direct

24/10/2026

*** CRACKING FIRST NIGHT MUSIC ***
A massive thank you to The Jukes for a storming headline performance at Sham Fest last night.
Thanks also to Malachite, the The Hoodoo Man and Dixie Faux for their sets.
Fabulous to have all these excellent musicians giving their time for free to help make this event into a such a good night.

Sham Fest resumes from 1pm today at the Pollyfield Community Centre, Avon Road, Bideford EX39 4BL.
Approximate timings for performers are:
1.15 - Leona Whitfield
2.30 - Rhia Murgatroyd
4.00 - Kev Beano Green
5.00 - dogleg
7.00 - Formidable Force
8.15 - Joe Tucker (DJ set)
9.45 - Beckon The Wyrd

Admission is FREE - we have 19 real ales, w**es, c***rs, gin & rum on offer. (L***r, soft drinks etc. at the main Pollyfield bar.)
All proceeds in aid of East the water community food pantry and other local causes.
The kitchen will be serving hot food - pulled pork, beef or turkey with roast potatoes and gravy from 2pm!

Sham Fest continues on Sunday afternoon 1-6pm (ish) with more live music from Snake Oil (2pm) and Unity Roots (4pm).

23/10/2026

*** COUNT DOWN TIME! ***
Less than two hours until the doors open for this year's Sham Fest!

B**r barrels ready and waiting - check.
Gin & Rum ready and waiting - check
W**e ready and waiting - check
C***r ready and waiting - check
Stage ready and waiting - check
Food cooking - check
Rain stopped - check
Wind stopped - hmmm...

Come and join us at the Pollyfield Community Centre, Avon Road, Bideford, from 6pm.
Entry is FREE. Live music tonight from Dixie Faux, The Hoodoo Man, Malachite and The Jukes.
The fun continues Saturday 1-11pm and Sunday 1-6pm.

All money raised will go to the East-The-Water Community Food Bank and other local good causes and charities.

A massive thank you to Heritage Cob and Lime for being our main sponsor for the second year running, plus all our other sponsors and supporters:
*APS Packaging *Aussie Connor *Black Bear Brewery *BLaK Property *The Blacksmiths Arms Bideford *Blights Motors Limited *Brunswick Wharf Regeneration *Clearwater Brewery *Councillor Jamie McKenzie *CountryLife Brewery *Dandy barbers Bideford * Devonshire Cork & Vine *Exeter Brewery *Geoffrey Cox *Jolene Burgess Foot Care *Mimick Signs *The Royal Hotel *St Austell Brewery *Torridge Green Party *Trade Plastics Direct

22/10/2026

*** THANK YOU COUNTRY LIFE BREWERY ***
A big shout out to CountryLife Brewery for another year of supporting Sham Fest!
And cheers to Simon and Brad for their hard work this afternoon, getting us all set up for the weekend - all those barrels are now tapped and resting.
We've got three b**rs from Country Life - Golden Pig, Shore Break and Black Boar Porter - plus another 16 from various other breweries.
Our gin and rum bar will also feature a selection of spirits from brewery offshoot North Shore Distillery.

Sham Fest takes place at the Pollyfield Community Centre in Avon Road, Bideford EX39 4BL.
Doors are open from 6-11pm tomorrow (Friday 23rd), 1-11pm on Saturday 24th and 1-6pm (ish) on Sunday 25th.

As well as the b**rs and spirits, we'll have c***r and w**e on offer, plus hot food, lots of music and a quiet space. (L***r etc is also available at the main Pollyfield bar.)
Entry is FREE and all money raised will go to the East the water community food pantry and other local good causes.

A massive thank you to Heritage Cob and Lime for being our main sponsor for the second year running.
Our other sponsors and supporters include:
*APS Packaging - Advanced Pallet Systems Ltd.
*Aussie Connor
*Black Bear Brewery
*BLaK Property
*The Blacksmiths Arms Bideford
*Blights Motors Limited
*Brunswick Wharf Regeneration
*Clearwater Brewery
*Councillor Jamie McKenzie
*CountryLife Brewery
*Dandy barbers
*Devonshire Cork & Vine
*Exeter Brewery
*Sir Geoffrey Cox MP
*Jolene Burgess Foot Care
*Mimick Signs
*St Austell Brewery
*The Royal Hotel
*Torridge Green Party
*Trade Plastics Direct

21/10/2026

*** STAY DRY & DRINK B**R! ***
With horrible weather forecast for the weekend, the only sensible thing to do is to come to Sham Fest and have a good time in the warm and dry.
Admission is FREE and we'll have 19 real ales to sample, plus c***r, w**e, gin and rum, plus hot food and lots of live music.
Join us at the Pollyfield Community Centre in Avon Road, Bideford EX39 4BL.
We're open Friday from 6-11pm with live music from Dixie Faux, The Hoodoo Man, Malachite and The Jukes.
Saturday we're open 1-11pm with music from Leona Whitfield, Rhia Murgatroyd, Kev Beano Green, dogleg, Formidable Force , Joe Tucker and Beckon The Wyrd.
We're back Sunday 1-6pm with music from Snake Oil and Unity Roots.
All proceeds to East-The-Water Community Food Pantry and other local good causes.

20/10/2026

*** HICK, HICK, HOORAY! ***
Three cheers for St Austell Brewery, who have donated a bottle of their Walter Hicks old fashioned navy rum.
This is a serious drop, clocking in at a slightly scary 71.4% alcohol.
For those who dare, it will be there on the Sham Fest gin and rum bar at the Pollyfield Community Centre, Avon Road, Bideford.
Sham Fest runs from 6-11pm on Friday, 1-11pm on Saturday and 1-6pm on Sunday.
As well as the spirits, we'll have 19 real ales for you, plus c***r, w**e, hot food and a wide variety of live music.
Come and join us!
All proceeds in aid of local good causes.

19/10/2026

*** MORE MUSIC ***
We've got another performer to add to the line-up this Saturday.
Leona Whitfield is only 15 but she's already appeared at various music festivals and her single 'I Wish You Could See Me Now' was featured on BBC Introducing.
Leona will be performing at Sham Fest between 1pm and 2pm this Saturday.
Other acts performing on Saturday afternoon/evening will be Rhia Murgatroyd, Kev Beano Green, dogleg and Formidable Force .
We'll then have a roots of reggae DJ set from Joe Tucker, followed by our Saturday headliners Beckon The Wyrd.
Admission is FREE.
And - just in case you weren't already aware - we'll have 19 real ales, c***r, w**e (thanks to Devonshire Cork & Vine ) and gin & rum on offer!
All money raised goes to support local good causes. Come and join us!

Leona Whitfield

18/10/2026

*** YOUR MENU FOR NEXT WEEKEND! ***
Sham Fest isn't all about the b**r - it's just very, very, very important!
We will have c***r, w**e and our gin and rum bar over the weekend but pride of place will be taken by these 19 barrels of ale:

*Real Smiler from Clearwater Brewery - 3.7% pale golden ale
*Conker King from Holsworthy Ales - 3.9% autumn ale
*Ferryman from Exeter Brewery - 4.2% best bitter
*Copper Best from Taw Valley - 4.2% dry hopped best bitter
*Mariners from Clearwater Brewery - 4.2% golden ale
*RCH Pitchfork from Black Bear Brewery - 4.3% golden ale
*Shore Break from Country Life Brewery - 4.4% blonde ale
*Black Boar Porter from Country Life - 4.5% ruby red porter
*Bear Goggles from Black Bear - 4.6% IPA
*Atlantic Storm from GT Ales - 4.7% oatmeal stout
*Golden Pig from Country Life - 4.7% golden ale
*Jail Ale from Dartmoor Brewery - 4.8% premium bitter
*Fall's Over from Exeter Brewery - 5.0% ruby red ale
*Black Charge from Dynamite Valley - 5.0% oatmeal stout
*Black Stuff from Firebrand Brewery - 5.0% stout
*Brian from Dynamite Valley - 5.0% amber ale
*Darkness from Exeter Brewery - 5.1% stout
*Resolve from Treen's Brewery - 5.2% premium dark ale
*Alfie's Revenge from Driftwood Spars - premium red ale

Our judges will pick the top three b**rs on Friday 23rd and doors open to the public at 6pm. We'll also be open 1-11pm on Saturday 24th and 1-6pm (ish) on Sunday 25th.

We'll have lots of live music and hot food available. Come and join us at the Pollyfield Community Centre in Avon Road, Bideford EX39 4BL.

Entry is FREE and all money raised will go to the East-The-Water Community Food Bank and other local good causes and charities.

A massive thank you to Heritage Cob and Lime for being our main sponsor for the second year running, plus all our other sponsors and supporters:

*APS Packaging - Advanced Pallet Systems Ltd. *Aussie Connor *Black Bear Brewery *BLaK Property *The Blacksmiths Arms Bideford *Blights Motors Limited *Brunswick Wharf Regeneration *Clearwater Brewery *Councillor Jamie McKenzie *CountryLife Brewery *Dandy barbers Bideford *Geoffrey Cox *Jolene Burgess Foot Care *Mimick Signs *The Royal Hotel *Torridge Green Party *Trade Plastics Direct