Barry Island Sea Shanty Festival

Message from the organising committee:

Thank you for all the messages and we understand the frustration of the festival not going ahead in Barry in 2025. After the brilliant event last year, we followed up on all avenues within the Barry Island Area and council members to discuss 2025. The response was underwhelming and left us in a situation where the festival would be unviable commercially. A shanty festival by the sea was our goal and 2024 was special in many ways including the efforts by the RNLI Barry.

In looking for somewhere else to host the event we have been welcomed in Newport by business, council and organisations, which has been a breath of fresh air. All the venues are under cover so weather is not a prerequisite. Major transport links are better, the venues are close proximity and they even have a rich maritime history with the medieval ship. We hope you can come along and enjoy the singing and fun.

This is not to say it will never happen again in Barry, but for now we have to look at the best possible options for the bands that will perform and entertain for free

The first ever Sea Shanty Festival to take place in Barry, South Wales U.K.  was held 1st June and 2nd June 2024, with more than 40 singers celebrating 200 years of the RNLI saving lives and took place across six venues.

The Festival of the Sea was also hosted on Sunday, June 2, at the island gardens and the promenade.

Peter Cox, one of the organisers of the event, said: “I am part of a shanty group called Bois-y-Bryn in Cwmbran and we have attended sea shanty events across the UK.

“The event ties in with the festival of the sea to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the RNLI on Sunday and I feel proud to bring the first Sea Shanty Festival to Wales.

The next festival is scheduled to take place on the 31st May & 1st June 2025.