Sea Change festival returns to Totnes this year with a sizzling line-up, an extra celebratory day for foodies, and a 33 per cent slash in ticket prices. For the 2023 weekender, due to take place during the spring bank holiday weekend in May, organisers have made the bold move of reducing the weekend ticket price in a bid to make the popular event as affordable as possible.

Founder Rupert Morrison, of the town’s Drift Records shop which launched the festival, said: “When we first started the event way back in 2015 we needed people to go with us, trust that the record shop could throw a party and keep the town safe. “We did: we built it, they came, it grew and through thick and thin we’ve had the support of an amazing audience of supporters. “We know how fierce the current economic landscape is and we feel strongly that making Sea Change a celebratory event in Totnes required as many of the local community to feel engaged and inclined to participate.” This year will also see the introduction of the all-new ‘Lazy Sunday’ on May 28, which will shine a light on the many revered local food and drink producers – to the delight of foodie revellers.

Now one of the regions most distinctive and best loved festivals, Sea Change brings intimate, off-kilter performances and rare, unique and special showcases across music, art, film and literature. Acclaimed artists and emergent talents, installations, conversations and collaborations will fill venues across Totnes, including the atmospheric St Mary’s Church, gold-ceilinged Barrel House Ballroom, beautifully restored Totnes Cinema and award-winning and eco-pioneering Bull Inn. A new venue for 2023 is The Albatross, the Bull’s community space at the Rotherfold, which will be hosting conversations with Rough Trade Books and White Rabbit Books, and running a collaborative programme of culinary sessions on lazy Sunday. At the very top of the town but at the heart of the festival, Drift Records will be hosting signings, performances and serving great coffee. Among the first artists confirmed for the weekend bonanza is Bill Ryder-Jones, who returns to Devon four years and one pandemic after his full band Sea Change show in 2019. This year Bill will perform favourites from his back catalogue alongside first airings of new material during an intimate solo piano and guitar show at St Mary’s Church.

Also headlining will be Manchester post-punk composer Lonelady, along with DJ’s Deptford Northern Soul Club, Heavenly Jukebox, and Andy Votel.

The festival will also feature a Django Django takeover by its drummer/producer Dave Maclean, and a Speedy Wunderground record label takeover with two exciting young talents in the goth-inspired post-punks ‘Heartworms’ and explosive saxophone and drums duo ‘O’.

Also on the lineup are Irish feminist band ‘M(h)aol,’ ‘Memorials,’ Edinburgh’s ‘Eyes Of Others,’ Bristolian singer-songwriter ‘Clara Mann’, punk trio ‘Deep Tan,’ and London six-piece post-folk band ‘Tapir!’

Sea Change is taking place from Friday May 26 to Sunday May 28.

For tickets visit www.seachangepresents.co.uk or Drift Records.