🎉 Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival – Cornwall 12–14 June 2026The largest free nautical music festival in Europe, featuring over 80 groups from the UK and abroad. Whitby Maritime & Shanty Festival – North Yorkshire 16–17 May 2026 Two‑day festival with shanty crews and folk performers across Whitby’s historic venues. Harwich International Shanty Festival – Essex 9–11 October 2026 A major annual festival filling the old seaport with shanties, workshops, re‑enactments, and maritime events. Bristol Sea Shanty Shout – Bristol 19–20 September 2026 A lively harbour‑side celebration with multiple stages at Underfall Yard and SS Great Britain.

Cutty Sark Shanty Festival – London 21st Nov 2026 A full day of shanty performances and workshops aboard the historic tea clipper. Free for ticket holders. Mevagissey Shanty Festival – Cornwall (Next date not listed, but confirmed as an annual multi‑venue festival across Mevagissey & Pentewan.) Exeter Quayside Shanty Festival – Devon 14 September 2024 (most recent confirmed date) A full day of shanty performances across multiple quayside venues.

Upcoming Shanty Festivals 2026

Whitby Maritime & Shanty Festival – North Yorkshire 16–17 May 2026 A weekend of shanties, maritime folk and harbour‑side performances in one of Britain’s most historic fishing towns.

Sea Shanty Festivals UK (date order)

Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival – Cornwall12–14 June 2026 The largest free nautical music festival in Europe, with more than 80 shanty groups performing across Falmouth’s pubs, quays and outdoor stages.

Exeter Quayside Shanty Festival – Devon 14 September 2024 A full day of shanty performances along the historic quayside. Awaiting 2025/2026 dates.

Bristol Sea Shanty Shout – Bristol 19–20 September 2026 A lively harbour celebration with performances at Underfall Yard, SS Great Britain and venues around the Floating Harbour.

Harwich International Shanty Festival – Essex 9–11 October 2026 A major annual festival featuring shanty crews from the UK and abroad, historic reenactments, workshops, and events throughout the old port.

Cutty Sark Sea Shanty Festival – London 21 November 2026 A full day of shanty singing aboard the iconic tea clipper, with workshops, sessions and maritime storytelling.

Mevagissey Shanty Festival – Cornwall Annual event A multi‑venue festival across Mevagissey and Pentewan. Next confirmed date pending.

Fisherman’s Friends Festival (Stithians) Dates: Not explicitly labelled as a “shanty festival,” but the 2026 lineup includes multiple shanty and maritime‑folk acts, including The Longest Johns, Port Isaac Gulls, Banjovial, and others. Location: Stithians, Cornwall Dates: (Line‑up published for 2026; festival typically early summer) Note: This is a broader folk/music festival but heavily shanty‑influenced.

Festivals not yet confirmed for 2026 Some well‑known UK shanty festivals have not yet published 2026 dates as of May 2026. These typically include:• Teignmouth Shanty Festival (Devon)• Brixham Pirate Festival (Devon – mixed pirate/shanty)• Filey Folk & Shanty Festival (Yorkshire)• Portsmouth Shanty Day(s)• Hull Sea Shanty Festival

🇮🇪 Sea Shanty Festivals in Ireland (2026) Wild Atlantic Shanty Festival – Rosses Point, Co. SligoDates: 19–21 June 2026 Location: Rosses Point, Sligo, Ireland’s longest‑running international sea shanty festival, held annually on the Wild Atlantic Way. It features shanty crews from Ireland and abroad, street performances, maritime heritage events, and a popular Pirate Parade. The festival also supports the RNLI.

Carrigaline International Maritime & Folk Festival, Co. Cork. Dates: 26–28 June 2026 Location: Carrigaline, Cork Harbour A new but fast‑growing maritime folk festival with a strong shanty focus. Over 70 performers from Ireland, the UK, Brittany, Poland, Australia, and the USA are expected. Events include shanty sessions, maritime workshops, and concerts at multiple venues across the town.

These Irish events have previously featured shanty or maritime‑folk programming, but no 2026 dates are published yet:• Dublin Shanty / Maritime Song events (occasional, not annual)• Galway maritime‑folk weekends• Wexford maritime song gatherings

Isle of white / Yarmouth Green Sat 23rd