THE DEVON BIG BASH FESTIVAL 2026 ROUNDUP
Take a look at some of the highlights from across the PGL Rugby Festival Series and discover what makes our events such a memorable experience for touring clubs.
📍 Arrival Day
🏉 Junior Rugby Takes Centre Stage
Saturday kicked off with a full day of Junior rugby under clear skies and blazing sunshine. Ivybridge RFC’s three pristine pitches provided the perfect stage for a fantastic day of festival rugby.
Spectators were treated to high-quality rugby throughout the day, with impressive tries, bone-crunching tackles and excellent sportsmanship on display across all age groups.
Meanwhile, the Mini teams staying at Barton Hall PGL enjoyed a packed programme of high-adrenaline activities led by qualified PGL instructors. From swimming and team-building exercises to abseiling, trapeze sessions and climbing challenges, there was no shortage of adventure ahead of their own festival fixtures on Sunday.
Those staying at our partner holiday parks also had plenty to keep them entertained throughout the day. With facilities including adventure playgrounds, crazy golf, basketball courts and swimming pools, there was plenty to enjoy away from the rugby field. Some groups also took the opportunity to explore local attractions such as Adrenalin Quarry and make the most of everything Devon has to offer.
🎭 Festival Spirit & Evening Entertainment
One of the highlights of the weekend was the energy and creativity brought by the touring teams, many of whom embraced the festival spirit with themed fancy dress outfits.
Following a fantastic day of rugby and activities, teams came together on Saturday evening to enjoy the social side of the festival. With live entertainment throughout the evening, players, coaches and parents had the opportunity to relax, celebrate the day’s action and share stories from the tour. Guests staying at Barton Hall PGL enjoyed the ever-popular karaoke, while those based at the holiday parks were treated to a live singer. The fantastic atmosphere helped round off another memorable day in Devon and provided a fitting end to an excellent day of festival rugby.
From Where’s Wally and El Mexicana to a touch of Saturday Night Fever, the costumes added plenty of colour and laughter to the weekend, perfectly reflecting the camaraderie and team spirit that make rugby touring so special.
🏉 Mini Festival Finale
The determination, enthusiasm and commitment shown throughout the weekend continued into the final day, with teams producing some excellent rugby and a fitting finale to another fantastic festival.
While the Mini teams battled it out on the pitches, touring groups staying at Barton Hall PGL enjoyed a range of activities, while holiday park visitors took advantage of the local attractions and on-site facilities available throughout the region.
❤️ Another Fantastic Devon Big Bash
Whether on the pitch competing for silverware, taking part in activities, or enjoying time with teammates and friends, the Devon Big Bash Festival 2026 was another unforgettable weekend.
We would like to thank Ivybridge RFC, all participating clubs, players, coaches, volunteers and supporters for helping make the event such a success. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for another fantastic festival in 2027.
🏆 Festival Winners & Results
With another fantastic weekend of rugby coming to a close, congratulations go to all of our winners, runners-up and Spirit of Rugby recipients. Here are the results from the Devon Big Bash Festival 2026:
| Age Group | Spirit of Rugby Winner |
| U7 | High Wycombe RFC  |
| U8 |
Ivybridge RFC |
| U9 |
Winchester RFC |
| U10 |
Purley John Fisher RFC |
| U11 | Camp Hill RFC  |
| Age Group | Winners | Runners Up |
| U12’s Cup | Ivybridge RFC  |
Purley John Fisher RFC  |
| U12’s Plate | Camp Hill RFC |
Moseley RFC  |
| U13’s Cup | Stow-on-the-Wold RFC  |
Witney RFC  |
| U13’s Plate | Wilmslow RFC  |
Old Leamingtonians RFC  |
| U14 | Dings Crusaders RFC  |
Ivybridge RFC |
| U15 | Ivybridge RFC |
Llandaff North RFC  |
| Age Group | Winners | Runners Up | Spirit of Rugby |
| U12 Girls | Ampthill RFC  |
Ivybridge RFC
|
High Wycombe RFC &
Plymstock Oaks RFC |
| U14 Girls | TJ Titans RFC  |
Birr RFC  |
Ampthill RFC
|
Book Your Place For Next Season
While the rugby aspect is clearly a key factor at our festivals, it is equally important to allow your players time to enjoy fun activities with their friends, as from our rugby festival feedback surveys this is one of the most important factors for them and it is often cited as one of the highlights of the weekend.
We also appreciate a festival format is not for everyone, so if you prefer a fixture-based tour which can be combined with an activity or watching top flight rugby then have a look at our Premiership Rugby Weekends 2027, as this is a very popular alternative to our festival options.
With our rugby festivals becoming so popular, many clubs return year after year meaning space at our events for new clubs to participate in is fairly limited, so the earlier you can make your enquiry the higher the chance will be to secure your space at one of our 2027 rugby festivals or events. We can also tailor your tour to suit your individual requirements so please feel free to contact us to discuss what you have in mind.
Contact us via our enquiry page or call us on 01285 424470 to book now and find out more!
