The Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival

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crowds outside the National Maritime museum in Falmouth for the Shanty festival

Pirates at the sea shanty festival

June is alive with many a festival, the Royal Cornwall Show to name just one. But this month I want to draw your attention to the Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival. Quite a mouthful but a really charming event in our Cornish calendar. Running from 16th to the 18th June 2017 this festival is a real celebration of community where the whole town comes alive with music.

I was a student in Falmouth and the Sea Shanty festival was lots of fun. Now it is one of the largest in Europe with loads of free music all over the town. Falmouth is a gem of a destination festival or not, with a thriving high street, an ample sprinkling of pubs and eateries, the harbour, a castle, the beach!

Classic ships in Falmouth

The roots of the festival started in 2003 when a group of singers wanted to keep alive the stories of the Tall Ships and the tradition of performing sea shanties and Cornish songs. The music with its rhythmic beat served to keep the sailers working together as they did their chores at sea. The goal of the festival is to raise money for the RNLI which in Falmouth will be celebrating 150 years.

All in aid of the life boat in Falmouth

There will be groups of all sizes from all over Cornwall, the UK as well as Holland and France. All with plenty of good beer, street food and a backdrop of classic ships to enjoy.

You can find out more at their website.


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