EXETER RESPECT FESTIVAL 2025
Belmont Park, Belmont Road, Exeter EX4 6SS
Sat 07 and Sun 08 June 2025
Saturday doors open at 11:30, festival starts at 12:00
Sunday doors open and the festival starts at 11:00
Exeter Respect Festival 2025 will once again return to Exeter’s Belmont Park marking the 28th anniversary of the first Respect Festival in Exeter in 1997 that brought communities together to celebrate their differences and commonalities.
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WITH SUPPORT FROM
2025’S HEADLINERS
DA FUCHAMAN AND HIS BLAZE BAND
Sat 07 June
Saturday is headlined by Da Fuchaman, an internationally renowned Jamaican reggae singer, songwriter and member of the Rastafari movement. His music is deeply rooted in spirituality and he prides himself on spreading love and positive vibrations to the masses everywhere that he goes.
He and his ten-piece collective have been taking the festival scene by storm, headlining Bristol Harbourside Festival, Bournemouth Reggae Weekender and Inglefest and performing at Secret Garden Party, Tropical Pressure, Riddim and Reggae Festival & Falmouth Reggae Festival and many more.
SOUL OF THE CITY GOSPEL CHOIR
Sun 08 June
Soul of the City Gospel Choir, an inspirational gospel choir from Exeter headline Sunday, supported by their live gospel house band.
Soul of the City Gospel Choir supports communities and creates connection, uplifting the lives of singers and audiences around the UK, spreading joy through the incredible sound of contemporary gospel music.
LOOKING AHEAD TO EXETER RESPECT FESTIVAL 2025
Celebrating Peace and Harmony Between Communities
In Memory of Dr Anil Lee
Exeter Respect Festival 2025 will mark the 28th anniversary of the first Respect Festival in Exeter, aimed at bringing communities together to celebrate their differences and commonalities. This year our theme for 2025 is ‘Peace and Harmony Between Communities’. This year’s festival is in memory of Dr Anil Lee who was a precious member of Exeter Respect Festival’s Board of Directors. Her legacy will live on and her hard work for all communities will be noted and resonate in our lives. Anil has touched the lives of many in Exeter and in Devon and was an amazingly great believer in harmony between communities.
It is so important to express our commitment to diversity; bringing all communities together to celebrate their friendship, peace and harmony, to allow us to live in a society free from prejudice, discrimination and racism.
The 2025 festival will be bigger and better than ever, running from Saturday 7th June to Sunday 8th June in Belmont Park, Exeter. On Saturday 7th June at 11:00 Street Heat Samba start the celebrations with a bang with their joyful rhythms, doors open to the public at 11am to join the colourful procession. Acts perform from midday to 7pm, and from 11am to 6:15pm on Sunday.
On the Mandela Stage we look forward to showcasing UK based international reggae recording artist Da Fuchaman from St Jamaica and his band Fire Blaze who will perform on Saturday. Sunday’s headliner is Exeter’s inspirational Soul of the City Gospel Choir, backed by their live gospel house band.
There will also be the Community Stage, full of exciting performances from talent hidden in our community, showcasing their cultural diversity. We are delighted that once again Exeter College will host the Stephen Lawrence Diversity Stage for young people and artists from the community. If you wish to show your own talent join in with our Anil Lee Open Mic.
Our outdoor stages will provide a kaleidoscope of performances from distinguished stars to local talent.
There will be many outdoor processions and activities, plus familiar opportunities for visitors to sample the wealth of stalls providing everything from global food to fine clothing and handmade crafts, plus information about local communities and organisations, all delivered with a very genuine smile.
Dr Suaad Genem
Managing Director/Chair
Exeter Respect CIC
“All Different All Equal”
ABOUT EXETER RESPECT
Exeter Respect is the city’s annual celebration of diversity where we use the performing and creative arts to engage the wider community in saying no to racism and all forms of prejudice. The Respect ethos is a simple one: racism and prejudice often spring from fear, and fear is often based on ignorance, so let’s overcome ignorance by getting to know one another and sharing not shunning our cultures. One of the best ways to get to know someone is to enjoy yourself with them, hence our celebratory event and adoption of the old Commission for Racial Equality slogan:
All Different, All Equal!
The first Exeter Respect festival took place in 1997 and there has been a celebration virtually every year since then. From 2003 to 2008 Exeter Respect’s biggest event was at Exeter Phoenix Arts Centre, but from 2009 to the present day our focus has been a giant two day festival in Belmont Park, with a footfall of around 20,000 people every year.
Exeter Respect returns to Belmont Park on Saturday 07 and Sunday 08 June 2025, we look forward to seeing you there.