A sold-out Caribbean Night has struck the right note on its return, bringing steel pans, reggae, dub, and dancehall together as organisers look to make the celebration an annual fixture once again.
The event, organised by Sidmouth Coastal Community Hub (SCCH), took place at the Tythe Barn at Thorn Golf Centre in Salcombe Regis.
SCCH, the team behind the annual Sidmouth Sea Fest every May, said the event was aimed at diversifying the local cultural offering by bringing Afro-Caribbean genres and live music to the area.
Food and drink available during the evening included rum pitchers, Red Stripe, and ginger beer, while Vanillibean and Angel Chops Cakes provided ice cream and cakes.
The new Tuk Tuk Tuck Shop served light bites including Loaded Reggae Nachos and Spicy Sweetcorn Fritters, while Caribbean Fix offered Jamaican patties and jerk chicken.
London-based Pan Nation steel band opened the music programme before a roots reggae performance from Dappa Don & The Playaz.
Bristol-based DJ Sasha Steppa followed with reggae and dub before The Hempolics performed a mix of roots music, narratives, and sound system bass.
A Bristol DJ closed the night with music spanning dancehall, ragga, dub fusion, jungle, and ska.
The Tythe Barn was decorated for the event under the direction of artistic director Coco Hodgkinson, with reused and upcycled materials among those used for the set.
Coco said: "We had a lot of fun with set design, reusing and upcycling tin, making palm trees, and sign-writing to bring the beautiful Tythe Barn location to life for a Caribbean theme."
Coco added: "Huge thanks to Malcolm and Jill, the venue owners, for their incredible support—so many attendees have shared their love for this stunning Salcombe Regis spot!"
Organisers said volunteers helped run the event, with backing from building supplier Bradfords, funding from Arts Council England, and in-kind support from Rainbow Plants.
Festival director Louise Cole said: "We wanted to bring back this cultural tradition and proved that there is a call for it."
Louise added: "We were really happy with the support we got and achieved our goal to bring people together through music."
Creative director Tara Greifenberg said: "What a night—there was truly something for everyone!"
Tara added: "From Pan Nation's joyful early steel band sets and the inimitable Dappa Don & The Playaz to deep narrative roots from The Hempolics and taking us to the finish line on a high, the energy was unmatched."
SCCH said attendees had called for Caribbean Night to become an annual event again and organisers are reviewing this year's event while considering plans for the future.
Ideas for next year include providing more food options and an outdoor bar.
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