Okehampton gears up for Edwardian Evening as roads close and large crowds expected

Okehampton is preparing for a large turnout at this year’s Edwardian Evening, with organisers confirming a full programme of music, street entertainment and late-night shopping across the town centre.

The event, which runs from 5pm to 9pm tomorrow (4 December), marks one of the busiest nights of the year for Okehampton, with roads through the town centre closing from 4pm. 

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Earlier this year, The Moorlander reported on the traffic management for the town’s Edwardian celebrations, and you can find all the proposed road closures here.

The Museum of Dartmoor Life will open from 4:30pm for families wishing to visit Santa’s grotto before the main festivities begin. 

Organisers say this early opening provides “a calm start before the streets fill with music, laughter and light.”

At 6pm, residents will gather on Fore Street for the traditional switching-on of the Christmas lights. 

The Mayor will lead a short carol service from the Okehampton Round Table sleigh, a moment described by organisers as the point when the town “comes fully into festive life.”

ABOVE: The event takes place tomorrow with a full calendar of events prepared (Image: Okehampton BID)

Entertainment will continue across multiple locations. The Victorian Arcade will host close-up street magician Jack Sterling, appearing throughout the evening, while music will be supplied by:

• WREN Music (6:30-7pm),
• Okehampton Community Choir (7-7:30pm), and
• Tim Sutton’s Choral Society (7:30-8pm).

Visitors are also being advised to look skywards between 6pm and 7pm, when stilt performer Vicky Long Lady will move between Fore Street and Red Lion Yard. 

A circus performer will then take over the route from 7:15pm to 8:30pm, adding colour and movement as footfall increases.

In Red Lion Yard, which will be lit red for the night, choirs and performers will create a quieter, more communal atmosphere. 

Seating, food and rest areas will be available, and organisers expect this to act as a welcome pause point for families.

Local performer Rob Pudner will act as MC, providing announcements, introductions and crowd guidance throughout the event.

Food traders will offer a range of seasonal options, including hog roast, crepes, fries, hot chestnuts, mulled wine, soup and cakes.

This is the first year the town’s Business Improvement District (BID) has taken responsibility for organising the event, which was previously overseen by Everything Okehampton. 

BID representatives say they have placed a stronger focus on the town’s Edwardian heritage, noting that many shopfronts remain close to their early-20th-century appearance. 

Volunteers have also been recruited to learn about the Edwardian period, spanning the reign of Edward VII from 1901 to 1910, and often extended historically to 1914.

Local businesses are expected to take part in late-night openings, with many shopkeepers planning to wear Edwardian dress.

Organisers are encouraging visitors to arrive early, plan their parking, and prepare for a busy but atmospheric night that has become a key part of Okehampton’s festive season.