Royal William Yard reveals exciting events for 2017

Award-winning Royal William Yard in Plymouth is gearing up for a calendar of spectacular events for 2017, promising an eclectic mix of high quality activities and experiences for the whole family.

New for 2017 will be the Royal William Yard Festival – on May 27 and 28 – which promises to celebrate “peninsular living” and everything the beautiful West Country has to offer.

The festival will showcase some top West Country musical talent, and bring areas of the historic ex-naval victualling yard to life with beautiful classic cars, motor bikes and boats providing the backdrop to six stages, dotted around the yard offering an array of musical styles.

There will be a relaxed, Balearic-style sundowners bar and a main evening event in the Factory Cooperage with bands, DJs and a cabaret and cocktail bar.

There will be a host of great, locally caught street food on offer, including tasty treats from the Bigbury-based Oyster Shack and wine from the award-winning Sharpham Estate near Totnes via our own Le Vignoble. 

This year more events than ever have been planned as the Royal William Yard gears up for the international Mayflower 400 celebrations in 2020.

But firm favourites will be returning to the Yard, including the giant screen on the green for Wimbledon between July 3 and 16 and the Weekend of Wonders on September 9 and 10.

The award winning Good Food Market will return in February on the last Sunday of the month and The Yard Sessions will be back in the Spring, situated close to River Cottage, overlooking the water.

Royal William Yard Events Manager Jim Pascoe said: “We’ve made sure all our popular annual events return but this year there will be even more to see and do.

“Our new Royal William Yard festival really will celebrate everything Devon and Cornwall has to offer.

“From wonderful waterside living to great food, wine and musical talent. The festival will represent the best of the West Country and will have something for everyone to enjoy.

Emily Handslip, Urban Splash Director said: “We want to showcase the Yard to more people than ever so they discover the amazing things it has to offer, from spectacular views, to history, to a wonderful range of leading restaurants and bars.

“We are ramping activities up at Yard as we begin the countdown to the Mayflower 400 celebrations when we’ll be able to showcase Britain’s Ocean City to people all over the world.”