Seafest Plymouth is the plaice to be next weekend!

7th September 2023

Next weekend local businesses will celebrate Seafest Plymouth, a two-day event being held across the waterfront from Sutton Harbour to Royal William Yard. With a wide range of events, demonstrations and activities to keep the whole family entertained, Seafest Plymouth is a celebration of the sea for Britain’s Ocean City.

The sea-inspired festival will include a wide range of sustainable seafood, activities and experiences; from cookery demonstrations to a fish auction from entertainers to sea life displays, Seafest Plymouth is brought together by the Plymouth Waterfront Partnership.

Jon Walton CEO of Plymouth Waterfront Partnership:

“This year we are building on the huge success of the original Plymouth Seafood Festival that has held a place in the Barbican’s event calendar for over ten years.  We've renamed the festival Seafest Plymouth to encompass even more that our beautiful city by the sea can offer to locals and visitors alike. We've also increased the size of the event to feature businesses all along Plymouth’s waterfront from Sutton Harbour to Royal William Yard.”

Seafest Plymouth is sponsored by Eco-Plug Ltd. a renewable energy company based in Plymouth specialising in domestic installations including solar PV, battery storage systems and EV chargers.

Oliver Crutchley, Owner and Director of Eco-Plug Ltd:

"It is a great honour for Eco-Plug Ltd to be able to sponsor and support the Seafest Plymouth festival for the residents of Plymouth to enjoy; being a part of the community and coming to meet you all and share our passion for renewable energy is something that means a lot to us and we are excited to see you all there and sample some amazing seafood."

Across the two-day festival there will be a wide range of events, activities and demonstrations taking place including:

• Live music including shanty bands playing at a variety of venues across the waterfront each day. Catch them at various times over the weekend at Quay Square, Commercial Wharf and Royal William Yard
• The Cookery Theatre sponsored by Sound Seafood will include tantalising tasty tips from a wide range of local chefs supported behind the scenes by students from City College Plymouth
• The hugely popular IMechE cardboard boat race will be held on Saturday 16th - build a boat out of nothing but a few bits of cardboard and some sticky tape, then sail it around a course in the harbour!
• Support local and shop with traders selling a variety of treats, street food and shellfish, cheeses and organic produce and gins
• El Galeón, a 17th Century full scale replica of a Spanish galleon will be alongside on the Barbican Landing Stage for both days of Seafest Plymouth and is open to visitors (tickets can be booked in advance or on the day from the ticket booth at the entrance to the Barbican Landing Stage)
• Enjoy the sea views and the festival spirit at the bar sponsored by Venton’s Devon Cyder
• Family-run brunch and lunch venue Early Bird are sponsoring the entertainment programme including fun for children with street performers, face painting, performing arts, scallop painting and more across the waterfront including at West Hoe Park
• For the ocean explorers, both young, and young at heart, a specially designed trail has been created by local artist, Debby Mason with her fin-tastic marine life etchings. Find all ten and claim a sweet treat from the Tourist Information Centre. 

Jon concludes:

“Celebrating the heritage and livelihoods that Britain’s Ocean City and the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park supports is of huge importance to the Plymouth Waterfront Partnership. Seafest Plymouth enables us to continue to showcase the importance of Plymouth’s fishing and seafood industry, but also ‘cast our nets’ wider to encompass the individuals, local businesses and partners that makes our waterfront a vibrant, friendly and welcoming place to visit, experience and enjoy year-round.”

Seafest Plymouth is a free event to attend to celebrate the city’s maritime past, present and future; full of sea-inspired food, fun and festival spirit for the whole family. It is being held on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th September across Plymouth’s waterfront.

To find out more please visit the Seafest webpage.