Comedy, pizza and music bring Devon men together for Movember
Comedy nights, pizza-making, music and creative workshops are among the events bringing men together across Devon this November as part of a festival encouraging conversations about men's mental health.
The Alright Mate? Festival runs from 7 to 28 November, with nine creative and social events taking place in Exeter and Moretonhampstead.
Organised by award-winning Devon arts organisation Alright Mate? CIC, the festival aims to create opportunities for men to connect through shared interests and activities, helping to make conversations about mental health more accessible in familiar settings such as pubs, community spaces and cultural venues.
The programme includes 'Jest for Men: Comedy Night' at Topsham Brewery on 12 November, when men from across Devon will perform original stand-up comedy inspired by their own lives. The evening will be hosted by comedian Edward Tripp.
The performers have completed a six-week comedy course with Angie Belcher, who will return on 14 November to lead an introductory stand-up workshop for complete beginners.
On 17 November, Studio 74 at Exeter Phoenix will host a screening of 'Blind Spot', followed by a question-and-answer session. Created from interviews with men in Devon, the project originally took the form of a live performance inside a car. Its new short-film version uses humour to explore some of the barriers that can make it difficult for men to open up.
Food will also provide a way to bring people together, with Dough Bros, run by Resilient Lives CIC, hosting wood-fired pizza-making and sharing events in Exeter and Moretonhampstead. The project recently received the Community Group Award at the BBC Radio Devon Make a Difference Awards 2026.
Music fans can take part in The Listening Club at 12 Bar Music & Social, where a mystery album will be revealed on the night and played in full on vinyl, followed by an opportunity to stay and chat.
Other activities include men's journalling with Matt Young, known as The Journaling Guy, a fundraising pub quiz at The Fat Pig and a closing party with a DJ at SomePeople.
Cally Hayes, director of Alright Mate? CIC, said: “It can be easier to get to know someone when you’re doing something together. We want people to turn up as they are, enjoy themselves and leave feeling a little more connected.”
Individual tickets cost between £5 and £20, while quiz entry is £25 per team of up to four. A limited number of funded places are available at every event for people who would otherwise be unable to attend.
Alright Mate? CIC is an award-winning Devon arts organisation which uses participatory arts projects to encourage conversations about men's mental health. It works with artists, local businesses and communities to create opportunities for connection in places where men already spend time.
Previous projects include 'Blind Spot', 'Jest for Men', 'Invisible Dads' and 'Cracking'.
For the full programme and booking information, visit www.alrightmate.org/events/.