Sidmouth Sea Fest > Raising awareness through visual activities and fun. Celebrating everything in and by the sea, encouraging responsible tourism and a responsible approach by everybody to our coastline, using art and culture.

An excellent day was put together for Saturday:
Futures Forum: Sidmouth Sea Fest > special focus on ‘rethinking plastics’ > Saturday 12th May
Futures Forum: Sidmouth Sea Fest > full day programme
Futures Forum: Sidmouth Sea Fest > Variety Night Saturday 12th May > with ENNOR and Jabbrock...

And an excellent day was had by all, as depicted in the Herald on-line: 

PHOTOS AND VIDEO: Ahoy there! Sidmouth celebrates all things maritime with Sea Fest

PUBLISHED: 15:30 14 May 2018 | UPDATED: 15:51 14 May 2018

Richard Wright

Jack Massey tries his hand on the training boat R.S Vision at the Sidmouth Sea Fest. Ref shs 20 18TI 3092. Picture: Terry Ife

Sea Fest brought in the crowds on Saturday for what organisers are calling the most successful event so far.

The fifth annual Sea Fest on The Ham in Sidmouth

Billed as a coastal community celebration, this was its fifth year. The Ham in Sidmouth was filled with stalls and marquees with a maritime theme.

This year there was a pop-up beach for children, a demonstration of traditional lobster pot making and sea food cookery presentations.

Councillor Louise Cole, of Sidmouth Coastal Community Hub, said: “It went brilliantly. It was really well attended and constantly busy throughout the day.”

This year the theme was ‘rethinking plastics’, raising awareness of the environmental damage caused by plastics.

In the morning there was a beach clean run by Sidmouth Plastic Warriors. Items were found and ‘recycled’ by turning them into sculptures.

“It is about raising awareness through visual activities and fun. We are celebrating everything in and by the sea, encouraging responsible tourism and a responsible approach by everybody to our coastline, using art and culture to do that,” she added.

David French from Withy Pots was demonstrating his basket-weaving for the first time at the festival. Mary Bagwell, doing crab dressing, was among those invited to give cookery presentations. Sid Vale scouts had a real life ‘fruit machine’, with scouts picking random fruit out of a box at the ringing of a bell.

A sea-themed ‘cake off’ was won by Jill Wheller with a confection featuring octopuses and fish.

Music included Sidmouth Coastal Community Choir and the Sidmouth Primary School choir. Other acts included The Chantry Buoys, singing sea shanties, and world music group Kula. Cornish folk rock group ENNOR and Exeter reggae band Jabbrock were the big names for the evening. There was also comedy and capers from Goronwy Thom and acrobatics from Kenyan twins Oneface Mapacha.

Drama was provided by Sid Vale Productions with a show called ‘Caught in a Storm’ by Chris Hardy, telling the story of the great blizzard of 1891.

“As well as providing entertainment for local people Sea Fest helps to bring visitors in so we are contributing to Sidmouth’s tourist economy,” Cllr Cole added.

Sponsors included the town council, the Sid Vale Association, the National Lottery and the People’s Postcode Lottery, as well as Everys solicitors, Blinis Café Bar, Fords and Dukes.

Sidmouth Sea Fest coastal celebration | Latest Sidmouth and Ottery News - Sidmouth Herald
.
.
.