Westward Ho! Ho! Ho! is our family celebration a few days before Christmas. We hold this one every year to kick off the festive season with some Westward Ho! spirit and style. It is held in the village centre, this year, with a fun run going up the beach. We aim to make this event more of a traditional celebration with a sporting twist!
It includes Bideford Brass Band, both Churches, elves, Father Christmas, carols, fancy dress, music and an optional fun run!
Westward Ho! Ho! Ho! 2025
This is a Westward Ho! Annual tradition, a FREE to enter Christmas event (Fun Run is payable but comes with T-Shirt).
Start Christmas off in style? Join Peter & Bob, Visit Westward Ho!, Westward Ho! Baptist Church, The Holy Trinity Church, Bideford Brass Band, Santa complete with a Crazy Elf, Crafting Kate for the ONLY way to inject some festive cheer! Ladies and Gentleman may I present....Westward Ho! Ho! Ho! for another year!-
2.30pm Sandy Santa Fancy Dress Fun Run registration. Either buy your tickets online, link below or they can be brought at Ho! Surf, on the village Green, Westward Ho! We encourage pre registration but can accept runners on the day too. Cost is £10 per entry but does INCLUDE a Sandy Sandy 2025 limited edition T-Shirt, this year printed in Ho! Surf quickly!
https://www.visitwestwardho.com/.../sandy-santa-fun-run...
2.55pm We can't have you going off without a proper Westward Ho! warm up. Join the legend that is Jack Johns in front of the event area on the village Green for a mass warm up. PT Instructor Jack is slightly nutty, we love this!
3.00pm Sandy Santa Fancy Dress Fun Run. Choose either a 2k or 5k course, fancy dress is a MUST! It's all about fun, running with friends and getting back into the village. Once back we have live music, Santa, Comedy and many other surprises too.
3.00pm - 6.00pm Arts and Crafts with Kate. Kate will be hosting a kids area complete with arts and crafts to keep the little ones happy. This will be in the large side marquee at the Guillemot Gardens.
4.00pm to 5.15pm Another Christmas tradition, The Hoo Doo Man! Ian is a musical legend and will be playing a mix of songs for you all. Just finished the Sandy Santa? Grab a beer (you deserve it) and lets Ian's mellow tones wash away your aches and pains.
4.00pm - 6.00pm Last chance to meet the big man himself before he prepares the reindeer for a very long, hard nights work. Santa will be in his grotto (in the Guillemot Gardens) complete with his slightly naughty, mischievous elf! The Grotto will be in the event area, come along and find the magic of Christmas.
5.15pm to 5.30pm What Christmas is complete without Jumping Jack? Not only does he do a crazy warm up for us all pre run, but, he will entertain you with his comedy set too. I ADORE Jacks spirit, he is perfect for this event.
5.30pm to 6.00pm Westward Ho! Exclamation Youth Theatre- After such a heart warming performance they are back for another, this time at an established event with a crowd. Watch the energy, look for the smiles and spot the stars of the future.
6.00pm to 7.00pm
- The Big Sing - Join Peter & Bob from Visit Westward Ho! entertainments team, Jules from Holy Trinity Church, Tim from the Westward Ho! Baptist Church complete with Bideford Brass Band to bust out some Christmas Carols around the large Christmas tree in The Guillemot Gardens. This is just a great community get together and a chance to sing with fellow villagers. A brilliant start to the festive celebrations and cracking end to our evening.
Westward Ho! is the most amazing venue for many sports with it's wide open beaches, fresh air and spirit. As part of the Westward Ho! Ho! we will be hosting the second ever Westward Ho! Sandy Santa 5 or 2k fancy dress fun run.
Starting on the Village Green by the event area then running along the beach then back into the village to the finish line.
This will help blow away the cobwebs and get you ready for Christmas Westward Ho! style. Prizes? Riches? Fame? No! All runners have an awesome time with us then are presented with a Sandy Santa limited edition T-Shirt. Cost is ONLY £10 and this INCLUDES your limited edition Sandy Santa 2024 T-Shirt.
2019 Was the only Sandy Santa Run due to events stopping because of Covid,
last time we had 91 runners enter, we want more this year! You have the choice of the 5k or 2k beach route, this run is based around fun! Runners MUST wear fancy dress, the more outlandish the better! We want to be different from the normal runs, we want extra Westward Ho! spirit in this run...
Video beside/below is the 2019 Sandy Santa.
What Christmas would be complete without Father Christmas? The Westward Ho! Ho! Ho! event is no different!
4.00pm - 6.00pm is your last chance to meet the big man himself before he prepares the reindeer for a very long, hard nights work. Santa will be in his grotto complete with his slightly naughty, mischievous elf! The Grotto will be in the event area, come along and find the magic of Christmas with us as you #visitwestwardho!.
