Festival of the Sea brings you entertainment from talented local and national artists, and invites you to participate in workshops, interactive performance and family activities.

Festival of the Sea is completely FREE for everyone, with performance and activities taking place across Grimsby Town Centre and Waterfront. 

Below you will find 2023’s programme. Festival of the Sea 2024 is currently being planned, watch this space!

2023 PROGRAMME

FESTIVAL MAP 2023

Bandstand 2023

LAUREN SMITH

COMPERE

Lauren Smith was born in the South and adopted the North with a wry sense of the ridiculous. Her core passion is Stand up Comedy, which she has performed stand all over London and the South East and is now embarking on a new mission to bring those laughs and delight to Yorkshire and the Humber.

Lauren will be compering the bandstand on the day, introducing all the brilliant performers and telling us all about Live Laugh Lincs, a new comedy night in Grimsby founded by Lauren Smith herself.

AQUATIC MERMAIDS

FAMILY GAMESHOW, WALKABOUT & GLITTER FACEPAINTING

The Aquatic Mermaids Family Gameshow is a big hit and fun for all, full of fishy facts, music rounds, surprise bonuses and you’ll be sent running around hunting for treasure as the Captain pits you, the audience, against the Mermaids – who will win? Rally the guppies and swim along to find out!

You might spot our FINtastic Walkabout act amongst the crowds causing a stir – will you spot our Pirate who has brought a real life mermaid ashore for you to marvel at inside a bubble…

We’ll also bring along our Eco Glitter face painting! It’s fish friendly and fully biodegradable so our friends in the ocean can stay happy. We don’t use harsh glues or plastic glitter, so it’s hypoallergenic and suitable for kids of all ages – even big kids!

Nukulele Ukuleles

LIVE MUSIC

The Nukulele Ukuleles are a Grimsby-based ukulele band. They perform a range of music. The band celebrate the life, danger and hardships of our trawler men through their music. The band aim to engage their audiences through sea-shanties with catchy tunes and simple rhymes.

WILD BERRY MIX

FOLK GROUP

Wild Berry Mix is a group of four: Violin, accordion, whistle and guitar.

We will play  shanties, hornpipes and feature songs from the 19th Century. All in all, a multi faceted group with close vocal harmony to boot.

EAST MARSH UNITED

POP-UP CHOIR

Join us for a joyful hour where we will rehearse and perform songs with the theme of water and the sea.

The East Marsh Peace Choir is a community choir dedicated to the joy of singing together. They will be at the festival delivering a participatory singing event.

East Marsh United is a community organisation working to improve the lives of all residents of the East Marsh through housing, well-being, greening, arts, education and community action.

SOLE REBEL

TAP POP-UP PERFORMANCE

Join the Dancing Taps for their pop-up performance at The Bandstand!

Their Tap dancing troupe will entertain & inspire festival goers of all ages with their energetic, playful, & joyful dance style, which gets everyone smiling & toe tapping along! With a variety of short choreographies including contemporary & traditional tap repertoire, they love to celebrate the versatility of this art form including improvisational tap jams, as well as polished unison group choreography. The dancers are versatile, loud and great fun!

NEL MUSIC HUB

POP-UP CHOIR

Performances from the areas Steel Pan groups including Steel Standing Community Group and Pantastic Junior Pans. Part of the NEL Music Centre.

MAKERS MARKET

This year, the Original Emporium Makers Market and many more independent makers will join the market area, selling from locally sourced sea glass jewellery and gifts to framed images of 1980’s Grimsby Docks; all handmade and artisan products are inspired by local heritage and their surroundings.

Theatre Cookery Tent 2023

FISH FINGER THEATRE & MASALA MASTERS

INTERACTIVE THEATRE

Fish Finger Theatre & Masala Masters Present: A Taste of Home

A 20 minute immersive food and theatre experience, suitable for the whole family!

Audiences are invited to step into the story of three sailors, and a very special chef. Expect: Live music, interactive theatre, opportunity to try new flavours, and lots of silliness!

CAP'N FISHCAKE AND HIS FABULOUS FISH FINGERS

PUPPETRY SHOW

Cap’n Fishcake and His Fabulous Fish Fingers is a brand-new, live, outdoor puppet show for children. It is centred around a Grimsby fisherman called Cap’n Fishcake, his salty seadog, three fish fingers (named Bake, Fry and Grill) known as “The Omega 3”, and a cast of other underwater characters.

At one time Grimsby was home to the largest fish finger production factory in the world – so its a homecoming of sorts for The Omega 3!

The show aims to educate the audience about the perils of plastic pollution in the oceans and to have some fun whilst doing it. The show is aimed at children of all ages and will encourage audience participation!

COOK BY NAME COOK BY NATURE

COOKERY WORKSHOP

Becky is a chef mentor for many organisations and businesses, teaching adults and children how to cook. Join Becky at Festival of the Sea while she will show you some of her recipes and gets you involved in cooking!

INTERACTIVE AND WALKABOUT 2023

RED HERRING GAMES

THE GREAT GRIMSBY ESCAPE

Grimsby is a historic fishing town with a proud heritage. Founded by Danes in the 9th Century, the town’s name comes from the founding father – a fisherman by the name of Grim. The town became known as Grim’s town – or in Norse – Grimsby. See if you can uncover the secrets this town has by solving puzzles and breaking cyphers as you travel around Grimsby’s iconic locations. As you visit each location, you will notice something fishy is going on. Can you gather the codes and solve the puzzle of The Great Grimsby Escape?

CREATING THE SPECTACLE!

SUE AUSTIN & OUR BIG PICTURE

Our Big Picture is proud to present this trilogy of films developed as part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. The film sees Austin in a specially designed self-propelled underwater wheelchair wearing a summer dress. It is not uncommon for non-disabled people to see mobility aids as symbols of dis-empowerment and constraint. Through this work, Austin draws attention away from those negative associations and repositions the wheelchair as a symbol of freedom and movement.

Location: Our Big Picture, Bethlehem Street, DN31 1JN
Saturday: 11am to 5pm
Sunday: 11am to 2pm

Full show is 10 minutes: starting on the hour, 20 past & 40 past. Suitable for all ages – open to all

Book Here

 

Creating the Spectacle!  Finding Freedom Artist Sue Austin Copyright We Are Freewheeling Ltd Videographer Norman Lomax

THE POSTCARD POSERS

THE SHENANIGANS

Oh we do like to be beside the seaside! Meet Millie and Willy, the 50s throwbacks; they just can’t help getting into trouble. Hold onto your ice creams when this hapless duo are around; there’s sure to be high jinx aplenty!

THE DANCING TAPS

SOLE REBEL

We are excited to bring our NEW walkabout act “The Dancing Taps” to the streets of Grimsby! This pair of dancing hot and cold taps bring smiles to faces, tapping feet and bubbles to pop! Look and listen out for our dancing feet!

Sole Rebel (est. 2011) are a Tap Dance and Creative Movement and music company who love rhythm, storytelling and making music with their feet. Sole Rebel uses rhythm & dance to bring artists & communities together. We deliver a range of regular tap dance & music classes, performances & events in Liverpool & across the UK. We’re passionate about sharing our art form through participation & engagement, by celebrating rhythm as a universal language that connects us all.

THE PORT

Immersive Theatre Performance and Live Streaming

A 30-minute immersive theatre experience in the intimate cold stores at the Turntable Gallery on the Docks.

We invite you down the docks, nestled in the newly opened Turntable Gallery, to present our production ‘The Life and Times of the People who made our Port’ or do we….?!

Is all quite what it seems?

This visual, site specific performance dives deep into Grimsby’s folklore. A theatrical, slightly spooky, fun-family friendly experience.

Prepare to be spooked in this 30 minute theatrical experience that not only aims to teach, but to thrill. Join Evangeline Henderson and the Turntable Gallery, in this retelling of a grisly folk-tale and experience the sights, sounds and scares of the Humber Mermaid.

The performance will repeat on the hour, every hour at tt88 Gallery, Grimsby Docks and last for 30 minutes. The first performance will start at 11:00, with the last at 16:00.

These performances will also be live-streamed from the Turntable Gallery shop window on Victoria Street, Grimsby.

This is a bespoke performance curated for the Festival of the Sea 2023.

Spaces are limited, book early! The Port Immersive Theatre EVENTBRITE

 

WATERFRONT 2023

CANOE RIVER CLEANER

GUIDED TOUR

Join Jim the canoe river cleaner on a fun nature I-spy upstream, and learn about our beautiful chalk stream fed river that flows through the heart of Grimsby. We will also give back to nature with a short litter pick.

This activity is for young children and parents and the walks are pushchair accessible.

HUMBER TAIKO

LIVE PERFORMANCES AND WORKSHOPS

Taiko players from across the region will come together and perform for Festival of the Sea! Featuring the area’s very own Taiko drumming piece – Follow The Fishing.

Expect the thundering of Japanese Taiko drums with choreographed movement and lots of energy!

EMMA LINGARD

GUIDED TOUR

Come learn more about Grimsby and its connection with the water. How The Haven drew sailors in and helped forge the first settlement, to the construction of the Docks and the East Marsh in the Victorian era.

Emma Lingard has been leading guided history walks for the last 10 years, starting out as a volunteer walk leader as part of the Lincolnshire Wolds Walking Festival. Her background as a journalist and broadcaster gives her the flair for presenting and leading these walks, as well as her keen passion for history and anecdotal stories about places. The book Grimsby Streets was published by Pen & Sword in July 2017. The Grimsby walks are based on the book.

WORKSHOPS 2023

OUR BIG PICTURE

FRIENDS, FOES AND GOOD COMPANIONS

Our Big Picture will be running fun family arts activities inspired by the exhibition  “Friends, Foes and Good Companions” at Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre, including Following the Fish: from the catch to our plate crafts and storytelling and reportage with our Sea Dogs.

These sessions will get you engaged in hands-on activities on Grimsby historical moments.

FREESTYLE ACADEMY CIC

SOUNDSCAPES

Freestyle Academy will be giving music technology workshop providing 8-16 year olds the opportunity to get creative with music technology by creating their very own Sea Soundscape!

This will involve using sea sounds, effects and pre-recorded samples taken from various locations such as Grimsby Docks, Immingham Docks and Cleethorpes Beach. Individuals and groups will learn how to use Ableton Live and get hands on with midi controllers, drums, keys and recording devices.

The music made from the event will be uploaded to the Freestyle Academy Soundcloud for playback after the event!

HERITAGE LINCOLNSHIRE & VESR

VIKING FLAG MAKING WORKSHOP

Drop-in session, where people can create their own simple Viking flag to wave with Celtic emblems of fish, shellfish, fishing boats, nets, fish and chips!

The designs of the flags will tie in with the theme of the festival whilst also learning people about Grimsby’s Viking heritage and therefore its relationship and links with Scandinavia.

Umbrella Events 2023 - To get you excited for the Festival!

CREATIVE WORKSHOP

Come and join us to create a collaborative artwork which which will be turned into a flag to be displayed at Festival fo the Sea!

Eleos Collective will be running workshops at La Cuna, Cleethorpes as part of the umbrella events of Festival of the Sea this year. We will be asking the question ‘What if we Cared about the Sea?, learn a skill and share your thoughts about the sea, our coast and our home! Make a stencil and screen print on to cloth! Come and have a go.

We will invite discussion about our relationship with the sea, focusing on our local area and the impact our own actions have on the health of the sea. With sustainable materials and repurposed fabrics, we will create text and print based banners that will be displayed during the festival.

Eleos Collective are working to promote sustainability, creativity, and collective working across Northern Lincolnshire. Eleos Collective has a combined 40 years of experience working in the arts education, culture events and local community projects.

Wednesday 5th July 11:00-14:00 FREE

La Cuna, 1 Kingsway Cleethorpes DN35 8QU

Limited capacity, book in advance here ‘What if we Cared about the Sea’ Eventbrite

ADRIAN RILEY - ELECTRIC ANGEL DESIGN

COME FOLLOW ME - GUIDED TOUR

Outside Grimsby Minster in St James Square is ‘Come Follow Me’ – a 30m long text artwork carved into the stone floor in 2021. It collects local stories and dialects, people’s memories, ships manifested from the docks, even the town’s unique origin myth.

This activity is a guided walk along the path with the artist who created it (that’s Adrian!) explaining where all these fragments of text came from, the stories and histories they’re associated with, and how the path came to be including some behind-the-scenes stories.

It’s intended for locals and visitors alike and will be sure to prompt discussion and sharing of further stories and memories.

Please note the tour will be filmed, so let us know if you wish not to be included in the footage on the day.

Saturday 1st July 10:00 -11:00 FREE

St James’s Square

Limited capacity, book in advance here ‘Come Follow Me’ Eventbrite

IT STARTED WITH A STITCH

MACRAME FISHING NET WORKSHOP

Come and learn the art of Macrame! Series of workshops in the regeneration area of the Kasbah on Grimsby Docks where you will learn to create wall hanging using natural un-bleached macrame cotton and embellish them with shells, beach finds and fabrics, to really give them a feeling of being ‘from the sea’.
The finished piece will be seaside inspired but echoing the fishing nets that would have been made across Grimsby back in the day. There will textile pieces on hand for the wall-hangings to be personalised with additional weaving, pompoms and tassels.

Saturday 1st July & Sunday 2nd July 11:00 – 13:00 FREE

Get Crafty on the Docks, Auckland Road, Grimsby

Refreshments provided from Coffee on The Docks.

PHOENIX FROM THE TRASHES

SEA THEMED YARN BOMB WORKSHOPS

A collective of crochet and knitters who take out beautiful creations to brighten peoples lives!

The group will be hosting a range of crochet and knitting workshops where people can join in to help make sea-themed yarn bomb displays for Festival Of The Sea!

Grimsby Yarn Bombs are a collective of crochet and knitters who make beautiful wooly creations to brighten peoples lives.

Tuesday 27th June 10:00 – 12:00

Wednesday 5th July 18:00 – 20:00

Tuesday 11th July 10:00 – 14:00

Welholme Works, Ladysmith Rd, Grimsby DN32 9SH

Timings and more info Grimsby Yarnbombs 

Produced by Swans Events, this project is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025.