Overview
Old Leigh Shanty Festival, also known as the Old Leigh Shanty Weekend provides a wealth of Shanties & Folk Music in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.
The most recent event was held on Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th May 2026.
This weekend a score of shanty crews will navigate their way to the atmospheric fishing village of Leigh on Sea to celebrate in the only way they know how – singing songs of the sea in the fifth free Old Leigh Shanty Festival.
This year there are 31 acts who will performing free of charge. Leigh on Sea Lions Club – CIO will be collecting for their charity account, RNLI Southend Lifeboat and the Endeavour Trust – Leigh on Sea Cockle Boat & Dunkirk Little Ship.
The weekend starts with a shanty sing around at The Crooked Billet, then from noon on Saturday there will be performances at No 1 Cocklesheds, Billet Wharf, The Peterboat, Strand Wharf, The Boatyard Restaurant, The Olde Smack, The Mayflower PH and Victoria Wharf.
2024: It is hoped that the Old Leigh Shanty Festival can step in and provide an appropriately nautical event in the Old Town after news broke of the recent cancellation of 2024’s Old Leigh Folk Festival.
This is due to increasing production costs and a struggle to find new committee members.
Hoy Shanty Crew member Tony Prior has performed at nearly every Leigh Folk Festival since it began in 1992, and explains that shanty music has “come into its own” with an increase in interest over the lockdown, and as well as “the Fishermen’s Friend films and the viral Wellerman shanty.”
Mr Prior added: “I thought it would be a good idea to bring shanties into the old town if the folk festival isn’t going to be there.”
The third Old Leigh Shanty Festival will take place from May 17 to 19, 2024. It will feature performances by around 15 shanty crews, along with other folk artists, dancers, the Thames Side mummers, pirates and bands.
On May 17, a “sing-around” session will be held at the Crooked Billet pub.
On May 18 and 19 a wide range of shanty crews and folk musicians will appear across the Old Town.
Mr Prior added: “This is a community event. None of the performers are paid, but we do raise money for charity.
“There’s no admission fee for any events. Frankly, that’s the way I think it should be.”
Last year’s event raised a total of £5,000 for both the RNLI and Leigh’s Endeavour Trust.