New North Devon music festival to celebrate the memory of a special young woman

A brand new family music festival in memory of a courageous young woman who lived life to the full and to whim music meant so much is being held at The Big Sheep this June.

TabsFest on Saturday, June 13 will feature a day of live bands, activities and family fun as it pays tribute to Tabitha Tulloch-Peet and raises money for the charity Tabitha’s Smile, established in her name.

Former Kingsley School student Tabitha loved music, theatre and performing on stage wherever and whenever she could.

The beloved daughter of Michael and Hayley and sister to four brothers, Tabitha or Tabs grew up in Instow and Westward Ho!

In 2022, at the age of 16, she was diagnosed with a rare cancer called sarcoma, but despite undergoing chemotherapy and the challenges that came with it, she continued to live life to the full and stay positive.

She kept up with her friends at Kingsley and the many activities she enjoyed, including sea cadets, swimming, theatre group and singing - if Tabs could perform on any stage in the world she would!

Her favourite artist was Taylor Swift, who she managed to see at the London O2 arena only seven weeks before she passed away.

Above: Tabitha Tulloch-Peet loved music and music festivals, with the charity Tabitha’s Smile set up in her name working to provide trips to music and theatre shows for young people with life-limiting illnesses. 

Tabitha loved performing or watching others perform and was inspired by her own journey to write the song ‘Sparkle’ with local musician Yazzy.

They recorded it at On Track Audio in Barnstaple with her brother Alastair and other musicians. The lyrics encourage listeners to embrace their individuality and ‘sparkle’ even in the darkest moments.

The unreleased song will be officially launched at TabsFest and performed by Yazzy.

Other local musicians and groups performing on the day include Nick Parker and The False Alarms, The Kahunas, Mislaid Grenade, Harry Wallace, Ben Trevor, Fool Custardy and Chivenor Military Ladies Choir.

Leading Queen tribute band Majesty will be headlining at the event, which runs from midday to 10pm.

Organisers are promising a full day of family-friendly fun, with food, drinks and entertainment for all ages, including a circus workshop.

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Tabitha sadly passed away on October 3, 2024 at North Devon Hospice at the age of 19. She is remembered as a courageous and much-loved young woman whose strength, kindness and positivity left a lasting impression on all who knew her.

Above: Tabitha would perform on any stage whenever and wherever she could and is pictured here performing with local artist Yazzy.

The Tabitha’s Smile charity set up in her name aims to create uplifting experiences for young people aged 13 to 25 living with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses by providing tickets to live music and theatre events.

Tabitha’s mum Hayley Quinton-Tulloch said: “Tabitha poured her heart into music and working with Yazzy on this song gave her so much joy during her treatment.

“To now be able to share it with the world, surrounded by music, friends and community at TabsFest means everything to us.

“It’s a very special way of keeping her spirit alive and letting others experience a part of who she was.”

Tickets start at £11. To book or find out more, visit https://tabsfest.com and to learn more about Tabitha’s Smile visit www.tabithassmile.org