Forthcoming Events in 2026
Summer Event 2026 – South West Quilters will be holding a quilt exhibition at Crediton Parish Church on Friday 29 May and Saturday 30 May from 10am to 6pm and on Sunday 31 May from 11am to 5pm. Come and view the quilts in a beautiful church setting where visitors I can also enjoy the architecture of the building and a display of church vestments. It’s an opportunity not to be missed.
Admission £2 (under 16s free) with the proceeds from the event shared between the church and the Daisy Garland Charity. Refreshments available in the Boniface Centre on the 29th and 30th from 10am to 4.30pm and on the 31st from 2pm to 4.30pm. Other attractions in the church include a display of church vestments, the Quilters’ material sale table, Raffle to win a Quilt and the church shop. Find the tombola, bric-a-brac stalls and the Newton St Cyres Art Group Exhibition in the Boniface Centre. There is disabled access and toilet facilities and parking available.
For more information or to book in a group, contact Anne Jerman on email: creditonchurchevent@gmail.com or call 01363 772865.’
Christmas Tree Festival 2026 will take place from 11am to 6pm on Thursday 3 and Friday 4 December; from 10am to 6pm on Saturday 5 December; and from 11am to 5pm on Sunday 6 December. The café in the Boniface Centre is open from 10am to 4.30pm from Thursday to Saturday and from 2pm to 4.30pm on the Sunday.
There will be two concerts on Thursday 3 December at 7pm and Saturday 5 December at 6pm. Other attractions include the shop and stalls in the church, Bridge Books and the Newton St Cyres Art Group exhibition in the Boniface Centre.
Free parking and free admission at this accessible event. For more information or to book in a group, contact Anne Jerman: creditontreefestival@gmail.com or call 01363 772865.
REPORT ON CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL 2025
Over 4000 people came to see the sparkling and colourful Christmas trees and enjoyed every minute of it, thanks to all our contributors and the volunteers who worked hard to make it all happen. The Christmas Cracker café was also kept very busy, with help from the Crediton Scouts, and the Beavers acted as stewards in the church.
Special thanks to Mark Smith who decorated the Big Tree (and it was a tall one!) The Christmas trees this year had a definite sustainability theme, demonstrating an amazing level of thought and skill that went into their hand-crafted decorations, many using recycled or natural materials. From their comments our visitors thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle, with an extra boost of music and singing from the West Gallery Quire and the Crediton Singers. Our two evening concerts were very well attended in spite of the cold and wet weather.
Many of the visitors found it hard to choose their favourite tree as there were so many to be enjoyed. The most popular young persons’ tree was Paddington Bear, created by the 1st Crediton Rainbows. Many enjoyed the Jokes from Kidz Star Club and the special art work from QES students.
The most popular adult tree was the exquisite lace tree from the Honiton Lace Group followed by Ladies Circle, with their zany bobble hats, and Gwyneth’s lovely nature themed tree. Others were fascinated by the Marie Curie knitted yellow daffodils.
FESTIVALS HISTORY
Funds raised at the Festival events in the church are used by the Crediton Church Corporation Trust (reg charity no. 1051555; cpcrestorationcommittee@gmail.com) to repair and maintain this historic Grade 1 listed building.
Annual Flower Festivals were held nearly every year from 1972 to 2019 around the first week in June and at their peak, were one of the biggest events of the kind in Devon and Cornwall. They were introduced as a means of raising much needed funds for the ongoing maintenance and restoration of Holy Cross, Crediton.
Just over 20 years ago, two parishioners were on holiday in Norfolk and saw a Christmas Tree Festival being advertised. They brought the idea back and it was seen as another way to raise funds for repair and maintenance. Although more commonplace now, the Christmas Tree Festival at Holy Cross was one of the first in Devon and remains one of the largest.
Post Covid and for a variety of other reasons, it has proved impossible to reinstate the Flower Festival in its previous form. However, where the opportunity presents itself, a summer fund-raising event is held.
Previous Flower Festivals
2010 – Tales of Many Things
2011 – Let There be Light
2012 – Eyes on London
2013 – National Treasures
2014 – Lyrics for Life
2015 – Music for the Moment
2016 – Thinking Outside the Box
2017 – What’s the Point…
2018 – In Our Element
2019 – Colours of the Wind
