Clovelly Herring Festival

18th November

November is the time of year when the historic, fishing village of Clovelly, North Devon, celebrates its annual Herring Festival, which is held to promote these tasty, nutritious Silver Darlings and support carefully managed fishing.

The village once depended on the harvest of herring, which are caught in superb condition for a short season off its coast. Records go back over 400 years and in 1749, there were a hundred herring boats in the port. When fishing was good, 9000 herring could be landed at one time.

Those days of massive catches are long gone and there remain just two herring fishermen who still employ sustainable fishing methods using drift nets and long lines.

Maritime historian and writer, Mike Smylie, will be there with his 'Kipperland' exhibition, which is devoted to the history of the herring. He will also be turning herring into delicate-tasting kippers and bloaters in his smokehouse.

There'll also be net making, flax processing and a Curragh on show provided by 'Flaxland'.

Quay kitchens will be serving a variety of delicious herring specialities with chef demonstrations, beer tastings and local food and craft stalls.

Throughout the day there will be live music, street entertainment, face-painting & henna Tattoos, an exhibition of Clovelly herring fishing, The Herring Hunt and the AONB event-themed children's craft activities.

Standard admission charges include all entertainment.

Please note that you can travel by bus from Barnstaple and Bideford to Clovelly. Click on https://tisconmaps-stagecoachbus.s3.amazonaws.com/Timetables/South%20Wes... for the Stagecoach South West timetable.

Clovelly Herring Festival featured in:

http://www.boatstories.co.uk/fishing-for-clovelly-herring.html

Countryfile Magazine
Channel 4's River Cottage series

http://www.visuallink.co.uk/client_media/media/184/Clovelly_Herring_Festival_2009_Video/

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/article6977974.ece

http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/content/articles/2008/11/04/clovelly_herring_feature.shtml

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2008/sep/20/fivebest.uk