Falmouth Sea Shanty Festival set to be biggest and best yet: DETAILS

A record number of singers performing at more venues than ever before as organisers aim to make the three day event more inclusive.

The festival runs from June 13 to 15 and will boast 261 hours of singing, that’s 46 more than last year, with 48 groups, totalling 800 singers, performing at 21 venues as well as on the street for the first time as road closures make it possible.

There will be main stages set up at Events Square and on Custom House Quay, but there will also be performances at various pubs, restaurants, at the Old Brewery Yard and at a marquee which will be placed on The Moor between the Seven Stars and the fountain for the first time.

Another first for 2014 is the Gala Concert which will be held at the Princess Pavilion on Friday, June 14 and will feature The Exmouth Shantymen, Scheepsfolk, Nordet, Shake a Leg and Dutch Uncle. It has been planned to give those who don’t like crowded pubs the chance to join in with the fun.

The festival, which is sponsored by Skinners Brewery and, for the first time, Seasalt, was originally initiated by a group of volunteers from the Falmouth lifeboat station and the Falmouth Shout shanty group and has continued to grow year on year. All profits are donated to the RNLI meaning the charity has so far benefited to the tune of 36,000.

The event has become so popular among performers as well as visitors, that many book their accommodation in Falmouth for the following year before leaving that year’s festival. Such is the demand on accommodation for this month’s festival that some performers are being forced to seek camp sites out of town.

One of the festival’s organisers, John Warren, said: “It is brilliant for the town - we are already getting interest from groups from as far away as Russia, California, Germany and Poland, who want to attend next year.

“We have also been met with a huge response and support from local businesses, which means a lot when you consider we are still in difficult times. The amount of sponsorship we have got has reached a record amount – people were virtually queuing up to put adverts in our programme.”

Speaking on the decision to expand the festival, John said: “We have always thought it would be good to push out and bring the atmosphere out onto the streets and by closing the roads for the peak times we can do that and have groups singing in streets – we have four allocated spots throughout the town.

“We are trying to include as many parts of the town as possible. We have been criticised in the past for being too central and keeping it at its ancestral home at Custom House Quay so we are trying to get most of the town included.”

This year for the first time, a range of merchandise has also been produced, in association with Seasalt, in a bid to bump up profits. These include polo shirts and T-shirts, jute bags and a double CD.

The official programme, which includes details of the groups performing, the lyrics of 14 shanty songs and details of when and where to catch the action, is on sale now with all profits going to the RNLI.

One of the highlights of the festival is bound to be an appearance by Fisherman’s Friends who are “easing themselves back in” following the death of group member, Trevor Grills, and tour manager, Paul McMullen in February last year. They will be performing at Events Square at 1pm on the Sunday.

Friday, June 13.

Skinner’s Stage Events Square
6.30pm Opening Ceremony
7pm The Pirates of St Piran
8pm Nankersey Male Choir
9pm Shake a Leg
10pm Wareham Whalers
Seasalt Stage Custom House Quay
7pm Sheringham Shantymen
8pm The Oggymen
9pm The Pirates of St Piran
10pm Flash Jack
The Seven Stars - The Moor
7pm Mariners Away
8pm Kanerien Trozoul
9pm Falmouth Shout
10pm The Vagrants Crew
The Front
7pm La Bordée
8pm Wareham Whalers
9pm The Falmouth Fish
10pm Scheepsfolk
Shipwrights (Chainlocker)
7pm The Barnacle Buoys
8pm The Vagrants Crew
9pm Naze Shanty Crew
10pm Rum & Shrub
Five Degrees West
7pm The Falmouth Fish
8pm The Nauti Buoys
9pm Mariners Away
10pm La Bordée
Watersports Centre
7pm Shake a Leg
8pm Press Gang
9pm The Barnacle Buoys
10pm Sheringham Shantymen
Quayside Inn
7pm The Longest Johns
8pm Trim Rig and a Doxy
9pm Two Anchors
10pm Swinging the Lead
Bells Court
7pm Five Men not called Matt
8pm Tavy Tars
9pm Thraw’d Together
10pm The Nauti Buoys
Old Brewery Yard
7pm Alan Whitbread
8pm Viv Robertson
9pm Many a Mickle
10pm Kanerien Trozoul
The Grapes
7pm Naze Shanty Crew
8pm Flash Jack
9pm Five Men not called Matt
10pm Press Gang
Jacobs Ladder
7pm Bosun’s Call & Dutch Uncle
8pm The Old Gaffers
9pm Short Drag Roger
10pm Nordet
Seaview Inn
7pm Short Drag Roger
8pm Nordet
9pm Alan Whitbread
10pm The Old Gaffers
Provedore Tapas Bar & Cafe
8pm Rum & Shrub
9pm Bosun’s Call & Dutch Uncle
King Charles the Martyr Church
7pm Thraw’d Together
8pm Scheepsfolk
Five Degrees Below
7pm Many a Mickle
8pm Swinging the Lead
9pm The Longest Johns
10pm The Oggymen

Saturday, June 14.

Skinner’s Stage Events Square
12pm Kanerien Trozoul
1pm Flash Jack
2pm Falmouth Shout
3pm Nordet
4pm The Nauti Buoys
5pm Sheringham Shantymen
6pm Five Men not called Matt
7pm The Back Beach Boyz
8pm Trim Rig and a Doxy
9pm La Bordée
10pm The Old Gaffers
Seasalt Stage Custom House Quay
12pm The Vagrants Crew
1pm Tavy Tars
2pm La Bordée
3pm Shake a Leg
4pm Mariners Away
5pm Rum & Shrub
6pm Bone Idol
7pm Press Gang
8pm Sheringham Shantymen
9pm Flash Jack
10pm Cadgwith Singers
The Seven Stars - The Moor
12pm Scheepsfolk
1pm Hobson’s Choice
2pm Wareham Whalers
3pm The Pirates of St Piran
4pm Stamp & Go
5pm The Falmouth Fish
6pm Many a Mickle
7pm The Barnacle Buoys
8pm Short Drag Roger
9pm Mariners Away
10pm Five Men not called Matt
The Front
12pm Nordet
1pm Wellington Wailers
2pm Five Men not called Matt
3pm The Longest Johns
4pm Flash Jack
5pm Falmouth Shout
6pm Short Drag Roger
7pm The Nauti Buoys
8pm The Old Gaffers
9pm Tavy Tars
10pm The Vagrants Crew
Shipwrights (Chainlocker)
12pm Shake a Leg
1pm The Old Gaffers
2pm Trim Rig and a Doxy
3pm Naze Shanty Crew
4pm The Barnacle Buoys
5pm Exmouth Shanty Men
6pm Alan Whitbread
7pm The Longest Johns
8pm Stamp & Go
9pm Falmouth Shout
10pm The Oggymen
Five Degrees West
12pm Exmouth Shanty Men
1pm Sheringham Shantymen
2pm Rum & Shrub
3pm Scheepsfolk
4pm Swinging the Lead
5pm Hobson’s Choice
6pm Stamp & Go
7pm Cape Cornwall Singers
8pm Naze Shanty Crew
9pm Kanerien Trozoul
10pm The Pirates of St Piran
Watersports Centre
1pm Bones Workshop
2pm Bosun’s Call & Dutch Uncle
3pm The Old Gaffers
4pm Kanerien Trozoul
5pm Baldrick’s Plan
6pm Viv Robertson
7pm La Bordée
8pm Bone Idol
9pm Wareham Whalers
10pm Cape Cornwall Singers.
Seasalt Shop
2pm The Barnacle Buoys
3pm The Vagrants Crew
4pm Tavy Tars
5pm The Pirates of St Piran
Quayside Inn
12pm Many a Mickle
1pm The Back Beach Boyz
2pm The Oggymen
3pm The Navy Larks
4pm Thraw’d Together
5pm Aggie Boys Choir
6pm Wareham Whalers
7pm Tavy Tars
8pm Cadgwith Singers
9pm Rum & Shrub
10pm The Nauti Buoys
Bells Court
1pm Viv Robertson
2pm Swinging the Lead
3pm Aggie Boys Choir
7pm The Navy Larks
8pm Bosun’s Call
9pm Two Anchors
10pm Nordet
Old Brewery Yard
1pm Thraw’d Together
2pm Two Anchors
3pm Wellington Wailers
7pm Kanerien Trozoul
8pm The Falmouth Fish
9pm The Navy Larks
10pm Bone Idol
The Grapes
1pm Mariners Away
2pm Short Drag Roger
3pm Viv Robertson
4pm Five Men not called Matt
5pm The Back Beach Boyz
6pm The Bluebelle Line
7pm The Pirates of St Piran
8pm The Oggymen
9pm Hobson’s Choice
10pm Shake a Leg
Falmouth Art Gallery
2pm Alan Whitbread
3pm Alan Whitbread
Jacobs Ladder
1pm The Longest Johns
2pm Baldrick’s Plan
3pm The Falmouth Fish
6pm Naze Shanty Crew
7pm Flash Jack
8pm Viv Robertson
9pm Swinging the Lead
Seaview Inn
1pm The Falmouth Fish
2pm Many a Mickle
3pm Hobson’s Choice
6pm Bosun’s Call
7pm Swinging the Lead
8pm Thraw’d Together
9pm Aggie Boys Choir
10pm The Back Beach Boyz
Provedore Tapas Bar & Cafe
8pm Many a Mickle
9pm Wellington Wailers
Five Degrees Below
1pm Naze Shanty Crew
2pm Bone Idol
3pm The Bluebelle Line
4pm Press Gang
5pm The Longest Johns
6pm Two Anchors
7pm Open Mic
8pm Alan Whitbread
9pm Baldrick’s Plan
10pm Trim Rig and a Doxy
Royal Cornwall Yacht Club (marquee)
7-9pm The Vagrants Crew
Princes Pavilion
7pm Shanties & Sea Songs
Concert.

Sunday, June 15.

King Charles the Martyr Church
10am Shake a Leg
11am Bone Idol
Skinner’s Stage Events Square
12pm Thraw’d Together
1pm Fisherman’s Friends
2pm Scheepsfolk
3pm The Pirates of St Piran
4pm Sheringham Shantymen
5pm Finale/Closing Ceremony
Seasalt Stage Custom House Quay
12pm Falmouth Shout
1pm Naze Shanty Crew
2pm The Longest Johns
3pm Treverva Male Voice Choir
The Seven Stars - The Moor
12pm Flash Jack
1pm Wellington Wailers
2pm The Vagrants Crew
3pm La Bordée
The Front
12pm Kanerien Trozoul
1pm Short Drag Roger
2pm Five Men not called Matt
3pm Flash Jack
Shipwrights (Chainlocker)
12pm Sheringham Shantymen
1pm Falmouth Fish
2pm Thraw’d Together
3pm Two Anchors
Five Degrees West
12pm Mariners Away
1pm Rum & Shrub
2pm Nordet
3pm Short Drag Roger
Watersports Centre
11am Bones Workshop
12pm The Navy Larks
1pm Two Anchors
2pm Mariners Away
3pm The Oggymen
Seasalt Shop
12pm The Longest Johns
1pm Trim Rig and a Doxy
2pm Bone Idol
3pm Press Gang
Quayside Inn
12pm Alan Whitbread
1pm The Nauti Buoys
2pm The Barnacle Buoys
3pm Shake a Leg
Bells Court
12pm The Back Beach Boyz
1pm Bosun’s Call & Dutch Uncle
2pm Falmouth Shout
3pm Naze Shanty Crew
Old Brewery Yard
12pm Aggie Boys Choir
1pm The Oggymen
2pm Viv Robertson
3pm The Old Gaffers
The Grapes
12pm Nordet
1pm Wareham Whalers
2pm Alan Whitbread
3pm Falmouth Fish
Jacobs Ladder
12pm The Vagrants Crew
1pm The Old Gaffers
Falmouth Hotel
1pm The Pirates of St Piran
2pm Many a Mickle
Five Degrees Below
12pm Five Men not called Matt
1pm La Bordée
2pm The Back Beach Boyz
3pm Wellington Wailers

For full details pick up an official programme or visit www.falmouthseashanty.co.uk.