Weigh-hey m’hearties - Sea Shanty Festival returns to Bristol harbourside

Weigh-hey m’hearties, this weekend sees the return of The Bristol Sea Shanty Festival, back in the city’s harbourside for the third year.

The event, which takes place on Saturday (September 23) will be hosting 22 of the best sea shanty crews, groups and choirs from around the region.

The event promises to be jammed with “rousing choruses, soulful songs and plenty of audience participation all set around the most historic parts of Bristol’s harbour” across 40 performances taking place between noon and 10pm.

All the sets performed are 45 minutes long with 15-minute breaks in between. Featured crews include Storm Force 10, The Severn Whales, Sound Men of Bristol, High and Dry, The Exmouth Shanty Men, Hay Shantymen, The Beach’d Buoys and The Harry Browns among others.

The festival is a celebration of Bristol’s maritime heritage and will be hosted across seven locations in the city’s historical harbour including the SS Great Britain, the Balmoral and Underfall Yard.

The Bristol Sea Shanty Festival is organised by the shanty crew High and Dry with venue support from Brunel’s SS Great Britain and the Underfall Yard and is free to attend, with any donations made by visitors being donated to local charities. The festival is also sponsored by Bristol Beer Factory, Clarks Pies, Aldi and Thatchers Cider.

This year, donations will be used to support the rebuilding of the workshops in Underfall Yard dedicated to maritime crafts following the fire in May 2023, as well as Children’s Hospice South West, Somerset Prostate Support Association and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

Phil Gibson, singer with the High & Dry crew from the Mendips and co-organiser of the festival said: “There are major festivals to celebrate these great songs of the sea across the whole of the UK - Falmouth, Teignmouth and Mevagissey to name but a few. Arguably though, there is no city in the UK with a stronger maritime heritage than Bristol so a couple of years ago we decided we needed our own festival.

“The response from audiences and local businesses was fantastic. Surrendering to the many calls to do it again, we’re really going to ‘push the boat’ out this year!”

Thomasina Gibson, festival co-organiser, added: “We planned the first Bristol Shanty Festival as a way to entice people out to support local businesses and charities devastated by lockdown restrictions and to bring a bit of joy to our communities.

“There’s no charge to listen or join in as the singers generously give their time for free. Any donations received are shared amongst local charities including the RNLI, Children’s Hospice South West and The South West Prostate Support Association. Last year we raised over £7,000 for these good causes.”