Exeter Respect Festival returns to Belmont Park on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 June for the 28th anniversary of its annual celebration of Exeter diversity.
There will be live music and arts performances on the Mandela Stage, Stephen Lawrence Diversity Stage and Community Stage alongside a variety of local campaign and community group stalls and art, workshops, dance, stories, clothing, global food and drinks, hand-made crafts and displays.
Headlining on Saturday is Da Fuchaman and his Fire Blaze Band. The Jamaican singer/songwriter and his ten-piece collective have performed at UK festivals including Bristol Harbour Festival, Secret Garden Party and Falmouth Reggae Festival.
Sunday’s headliner is Soul of the City Gospel Choir, finalists in last year’s BBC Gospel Choir of the Year. The choir is led by Emma Watson and Alfie Pugh and backed by its live gospel house band.
Exeter Respect Festival began as a small one-day event in Northernhay Gardens in 1997 before growing into weekenders and themed events at Exeter Phoenix, then settling in Belmont Park from 2009 with a two-day festival.
The event, which attracts up to 20,000 attendees, has welcomed many musicians and artists over the past 28 years. Then up-and-coming Teignmouth band Muse played in 1998. Other highlights have included Asian Dub Foundation, Talvin Singh, Wiley and Skepta.
In 2020 the festival moved online, also holding a vigil in Belmont Park in memory of those lost to COVID-19 and in the Grenfell Tower fire, police murder victim George Floyd and Simeon Francis, who died in police custody in Torquay.
It returned to Exeter Phoenix in 2021 for a one-day event but has been back at its regular Belmont Park home since 2022.
The theme for this year’s festival is “Peace and Harmony Between Communities” in memory of Dr Anil Lee, who was a member of the festival board of directors.
Exeter Respect Festival opens at 11.30am on Saturday 7 June, with performances from noon until 7pm, and 11am on Sunday 8 June 2025, with performances until 6.15pm.
There is an over-16s entry fee of £2 on each day, payable on arrival. It is an alcohol-free event.
Photo by Clive Chilvers licensed under Creative Commons.
