City or Shore: Plymouth is the place to be in 2024

16th January 2024

Check out the diary and start planning a trip to Plymouth – from city to shore, this is the place to be in 2024.

Steeped in history and culture and known for its stunning coast, myriad urban attractions and continental vibe, Britain’s Ocean City has a packed programme of events for the year ahead.

Highlights include key milestone anniversaries celebrating its distinct maritime heritage and foodie culture, festivals championing the connection to the sea, plus major live music events and the much-loved British Firework Championships.

From Easter onwards, the calendar is brimming with all sorts of reasons to visit this city by the sea, with a series of events hosted by Plymouth City Council in addition to Plymouth’s permanent attractions.

April sees Easter and – new for 2024 – Vegan Food Fairs in the city’s Central Park and Britain’s Ocean City Running Festival, at the famous Plymouth Hoe, which includes a half marathon, 5k and 10k races with 5,000 runners and an audience of 5,000 spectators anticipated.

On 18 and 19 May, Plymouth Pirates Weekend returns to the Barbican and waterfront, offering an array of family-themed activities, shanty music, and all things Pirate for a perfect family day out, followed at the end of the month by Flavour Fest, the city’s food and drink extravaganza which will be expanded in celebration of its 20^th anniversary this year and is expecting 100,000 visitors.

June sees the first-ever Plymouth Summer Sessions – where world-famous artists the likes of Tom Jones, Bryan Adams, Sting, Blondie and Madness will perform against the spectacular waterfront setting of Plymouth Hoe, while August hosts the Big Tribute Festival featuring famous tribute acts, food and entertainment, and Live in the Park music concerts, themed evenings and food traders.

During the same month, plans are also already set for the Rehabilitation Triathlon and Armed Forces Day, in association with Babcock International – this year is bigger and better than ever. The Triathlon and Armed Forces Day take place on The Hoe, the site of Plymouth’s iconic Smeaton’s Tower Lighthouse. Designed by John Smeaton, known as the Father of Civil Engineering. Plymouth is celebrating the 300^th anniversary of his birth in 2024.

The skies light up spectacularly for the British Firework Championships on 14 and 15 August – which will see the return of the ‘Young People’s Choice Award’, where a group of care experienced young judges will once again play a central part in the judging process - and towards the end of the month is the West End Carnival in the city centre.

Sea-themed entertainment and delicious food are at the core of Seafest Plymouth, which takes place at the Barbican, Sutton Harbour, Waterfront and Royal William Yard – with the city’s beautiful sea views playing their part – in September. 

Autumn/winter will see a range of events including Bonfire Night, the Remembrance Sunday ceremony and the Christmas Market which is expected to attract 160,000 festive revellers, as well as the much-anticipated return of Winter Wonderland at Central Park with more details expected to be released in due course.

Now that’s a year to remember.

Amanda Lumley, Destination Plymouth’s Chief Executive says: “It’s always so exciting to see what events the new year will bring and Plymouth is working really hard to make this wonderful city a must-see destination for a wide range of visitors, from those who enjoy the coast and our amazing sea views to those who just want to soak up the city centre atmosphere. 

“Whether you’re a foodie, an athlete, arts, music or culture fan, there truly is something for everyone this year, all year round. We can’t wait to welcome our guests in 2024.”