The Best Seafood Festivals Across the UK

Perhaps you’re fanatical about fish or a crab connoisseur? If so, this summer you should immerse yourself in the tantalizing world of seafood by exploring some of the UK's most vibrant and delicious seafood festivals. From bustling markets to the savoury aromas wafting through the air, these festivals offer a seafood lover's paradise. Read on as we take you on a culinary journey through the best seafood festivals in the UK, where you can indulge in fresh catches, culinary delights, and coastal charm...

Graze and nibble your way around 80 delicious food stalls where seafood is clearly top of the bill! Lymington Seafood Festival is back for another year, this time with a new format and some exciting new events! Packed with delicious stands selling pretty much every fishy delight, bars will also be stocked with the best local craft beers and award-winning wines.

The beloved Chef's Stage is set to return with some of the most exciting and talented chefs in the region showcasing seafood and championing local and sustainable produce in their cooking demos. Plus, this years new Cookery School will be enticing guests with their culinary experiences including 'crab cracking' and ‘canapé and cocktail making' masterclass.

If you’re thinking of turning the festival into a weekend mini break, then there are lots of options for accommodation in the local area. Whether camping under the stars or a little VIP luxury, this is one seafood festival not to be missed so book tickets now to avoid disappointment. 

When: 12th - 14th July 2024

Visit lymingtonseafoodfestival.co.uk for tickets

Weymouth’s beautiful harbour and seventeenth century waterfront provide the perfect setting for the award-winning Dorset Seafood Festival. Featuring a jam-packed programme of events devoted to local produce, sustainability and, of course, delicious food, attendees can expect fascinating foodie talks, local chefs giving hands-on cookery sessions, and experts debating the future of fishing.

Drawing seafood enthusiasts, industry professionals and sustainability advocates from across the nation, visitors can enjoy the freshest Dorset fish and shellfish washed down with a refreshing Badger Beer or a fine English sparkling wine. Continuing its commitment to the Weymouth fishing community and to seafood sustainability, last year the festival raised over £6,000 for The Fishermen's Mission and has been recognising as an exceptional contributor to ocean health within the industry.

When: 7th & 8th September 2024

Find out more at dorsetseafood.co.uk

Falmouth Oyster Festival is celebrating 25 years as one of the most highly anticipated events in the Cornish foodie calendar. Held to celebrate the start of the oyster-dredging season, which runs from October to March, devotees to the mighty mollusc come in their hoards to enjoy four days of feasting and festivities.

Held at Events Square in the town’s bustling marina, the festival highlights the traditional methods of harvesting, using only sail and oar. Championing the native Fal oyster and the diversity of Cornish seafood through cooking demonstrations, guest can also enjoy live music, local crafts and over 100 local food stalls. Plus, don't miss the Working Boat Race, a truly magnificent spectacle as boats race head to head, under full sail across the sea. 

When: Held annually in October

Visit falmouthoysterfestival.co.uk to plan your trip

The humble herring is the focus of North Devon’s much-loved food festival, which aims to promote the delicious and nutritious quality of this underrated fish whilst raising awareness of sustainable fishing methods. Privately owned since the Elizabethan times, the festival is held in the picturesque village of Clovelly. Clinging to a 400-foot cliff, the village has no vehicular traffic, just donkeys and sledges, as its steep, cobbled streets tumble down to the ancient fishing harbour.

Preserved by a historic atmosphere, the town comes alive each November with the sounds of laughter, sea shanties, and tantalising wafts of smoked kipper. Visitors can expect live music, street entertainers, face-painting, art workshops, an exhibition of Clovelly herring fishing, and a selection of stalls serving herring-based delights to please one and all.

When: 17th November 2024

To find out more about this years events visit clovelly.co.uk

Thank you to the invididual seafood festivals for imagery and information