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The ram, the water and the story people tell
The fair's own history tells of a drought: a ram was sacrificed at a dry stream, the water came back, and the village celebrated by roasting a ram at Whitsuntide. It also admits, candidly, that the true origins have been lost — so enjoy the tale as folklore, not as a record of one particular medieval day. The same history describes earlier customs involving the Fairwater Leat, a procession and several days of festivities, before the fair settled at Oakford Lawn in 1904. These days it's held on spring bank holiday Monday, so ignore any old reference to Whit Tuesday when planning. The fun part is how a story, a food tradition and a community gathering have stuck together while the practical details shifted around them. Read the history before you go if you'd like the background to the name, then use the organisers' latest announcement for where and when this year's fair happens.
Look beyond the roast at the current programme
The 2026 programme paired the official opening and the crowning of the May Queen with maypole dancing, live music, children's sports, a dog show and a clown, and set a particular time for the ram carving. That's a good picture of the fair's recent shape, though the 2027 acts and times may differ. Check the new running order when deciding when to arrive, especially if one ceremony or performance is the main draw for your group. The May Queen and her attendants come from the local community; in 2026 the fair page linked that year's group to the town's three primary schools. It's a lovely thing to watch, but not an open-entry pageant. Leave time for the stalls between the scheduled items rather than planting yourself in one spot all day. If you'd like to enter an activity, ask the right organiser how to sign up and what the rules are.
Arriving comfortably at Oakford Lawn
The organisers name Newton Abbot as the nearest railway station and suggest checking which buses run on the bank holiday. There's no parking at the fair site, and they warn against assuming the neighbouring retail car parks are available for fairgoers. Plan your onward journey and final approach before you set off, aiming for the fair's Oakford entrance. That's the one the organisers recommend if you have children with you, because the other approach has a stretch without pavement. Their access statement describes a smooth approach path and a fairly level grassy event area, with accessible toilets but no disabled parking on site. Seating is limited, so feel free to bring a folding chair. If any of these details decides whether someone can come, confirm them for the next fair. Ask about the route that suits your needs rather than going on the general feel of a small community fair, and save your bus times home alongside the event details.
The stalls are part of the town's fundraising network
The fair's charity-stall paperwork explains that smaller clubs and groups use the event to raise funds, and in 2025 they could supply volunteers instead of paying the stall fee. Jobs included helping on the gates, hoopla, face-painting or the raffle stand. It's a nice glimpse of the effort behind what looks like a simple afternoon: local organisations help run the attractions as well as setting up their own stalls. As a visitor, take a moment to see which group each stall supports, ask how a game works before you pay, and come prepared for different payment methods. If your group would like a stall at a future fair, use the current application — not an old form, and not a table carried in on the day. Check the paperwork and volunteering expectations before you sign up your members. Running a stall means more than a pretty display, and the committee needs to know who's taking part.
A community day with room for ordinary conversation
One Kingsteignton church's account of the 2026 fair describes getting a stall ready around a physical challenge and the theme of resilience. Its volunteers wanted to meet people and start conversations, as well as offer some fun. It's a neat example of how the fair works for local groups, and why the smaller stalls deserve your attention alongside the roast and the main performances. You don't have to share every group's interests to appreciate its volunteers or ask what an activity involves. Go at a pace that leaves room for a chat, a game and a look at the next stall, rather than treating the whole field as a queue for food. If you're bringing children, explain the difference between watching a display and paying to have a go at a fundraising activity, and choose together. The real attraction is a town sharing an afternoon, with familiar community groups making so much of it happen.
Two country-park options around Newton Abbot
Stover Country Park and Decoy Country Park offer two quite different outdoor additions to a stay around Newton Abbot. Devon County Council describes Stover as a nature reserve with woodland, a lake, marsh and other habitats, plus a bird hide, an aerial walkway and visitor facilities. Check current access and road information before you go, especially while works affect the surrounding routes. Decoy, according to the official Exeter tourism service, grew from a former clay quarry into a park with a lake, woodland, walks and a children's play area, and its activities and facilities follow their own seasonal pattern. Neither park comes with the Ram Fair, and a fair day certainly doesn't need both. Pick one for another morning or a gentler part of the trip, using the official visitor information to match the route and facilities to your group. That keeps the bank-holiday fair at the heart of your visit, not something rushed between outings.
Plan your trip
STAY OVER
Make a night of it
Search places to stay in and around Newton Abbot for 31 May 2027. Popular events can fill nearby rooms early, so check cancellation terms.
Find a place to stay on Booking.com ↗BY TRAIN
Nearest station: Newton Abbot
Newton Abbot is the nearest station named by the organiser. Check bank-holiday buses onward to Kingsteignton; there is no parking at Oakford Lawn.
Booking.com and Trainline links are affiliate links — what that means.
Where it is
Map pin shows the approximate area where the event happens. Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
Make a weekend of it
Odd things nearby
- Widecombe Fair 10 miles · 14 September 2027
- Blackawton International Festival of Wormcharming 14 miles · Early May, usually the Sunday of the early May bank holiday weekend
- Ottery St Mary Tar Barrels 20 miles · 5 November 2026
Also in May
- Llandudno Victorian Extravaganza Llandudno, Conwy
- Oxford May Morning Oxford, Oxfordshire
- Padstow ’Obby ’Oss Padstow, Cornwall
- Rochester Sweeps Festival Rochester, Kent
Still to confirm before you travel
Check the latest programme, travel and access arrangements before you set off. What happened at past fairs isn't a promise for the next one.
Go straight to the source
Independent research. The organiser’s own information always wins — we have not visited or tested the journeys.
