A friendly vibe rippled through the town centre on Sunday, July 21, as the final day of this year’s Exmouth Festival swung into action, accompanied by plenty of sunshine.

To get the best out of the festival, I chose to visit all four sites – Manor Gardens, the Pavilion Gardens, Sideshore and The Strand – during the afternoon.

(Image: Paul Strange)

My first stop was Manor Gardens, where the crowd were enjoying the warm weather. On stage, Cornwall-based indie duo Our Atlantic Roots were in good voice, performing a blend of American and British alt-folk, while to one side of the park an unpredictable but friendly robot was prowling around, amusing children and baffling adults.

(Image: Paul Strange)

There was a vintage mood over at the Pavilion Gardens, with a series of swinging jazz acts, including the Hat Trick Jazz Band. Leader Martin John Nicholls took the five-piece band through a jaunty set of classic swing numbers from the 1930s and 40s, accompanied by some energetic – and talented – dancers from the crowd.

(Image: Paul Strange)

Meanwhile up at Sideshore, it was Earth Day, an event focusing on ways to help our planet, through music, dance, theatre and science. Acts in the covered performance tent included Kuki and the Bard. A brother and sister alternative folk duo, they presented a series of songs about their lives and experiences as eco artists.

Back at Manor Gardens, Orange River Remedy offered a punchy mix of blues, soul and rock. The Creedence Clearwater Revival-esque four-piece – nicely kitted out in colourful psychedelic gear – put in a storming set of covers and originals that was a highlight of the day and much appreciated by the audience.

Finally, I headed over to The Strand to catch the Brazilian sounds of Orpheus, a six-piece jazz outfit, led by gifted Ecuadorian/Swedish singer Annika Skoogh. The band were bright, bubbly and very tight, and it was the perfect way to end my visit to this year’s Exmouth Festival. Well done to Exmouth Arts Manager Jessica Magill and her team for presenting such a diverse range of arts and music across all four stages. It was an impressive feat!