Full Festival Guide to the Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival 2025
Ahoy there! Welcome to the largest free nautical music and song festival in Europe. From Friday 13th June to Sunday 15th June 2025, Falmouth will be filled with rousing songs of the sea, raucous entertainment, and a vibrant festival atmosphere that will bring the town’s maritime spirit to life.
At the heart of the Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival is its proud partnership with the RNLI which plays a vital role in keeping our coastal communities safe. Donations raised over the festival weekend go directly towards supporting their lifesaving work, and we thank everyone who contributes to this essential cause.
With lots of new additions to look forward to this year, including the brand-new Falmouth Hotel main stage and the introduction of the Fal Ferry performances on the water, this year’s festival is set up to be a truly unforgettable weekend.
Whether you are a lifelong enthusiast or just discovering shanties for the first time, here is everything you need to know about the 2025 Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival.
Whether you’re singing along to the groups at one of the 5 main stages (Seasalt Stage on Events Square, Church Street car park, The Greenbank, The Falmouth Hotel and The Seven Stars) or enjoying a drink and live performances in one of the 22 town venues, you can guarantee a lively and energetic atmosphere with catchy lyrics and toe-tapping rhythms throughout.
There are 85 groups from around the world set to perform throughout Falmouth this year, bringing an eclectic mix of hearty tunes and timeless sea-faring classics that will have audiences clapping, stomping, and singing along. Visit our groups page online to discover more about our shanty groups – from beloved local festival favourites to exciting new voices making their debut on the Falmouth stages.
You can also purchase a copy of the Group Guide as a keepsake from various locations around Falmouth. Pick one up at The Cornish Store, the Princess Pavilion, or from merchandise stalls near our main stages at Events Square and Church Street Car Park.
With so much planned, downloading our Festival Programme is a must to ensure you make the most out of your visit.
Whether you’re a seasoned local searching for your favourite sea shanty groups around town, or a first-time visitor and new to the Falmouth scene, be sure to download our handy Festival Map. It’s the perfect tool to help you navigate between venues with ease and keep track of your favourite groups throughout the event.
You can also explore our Interactive Festival Map, the perfect way to discover Falmouth before you arrive for the festival.
Disappointed that you can’t make it to the festival in-person this year? No problem! For the first time ever, the Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival will be available to view online.
Nothing beats coming to Falmouth for the weekend and experiencing the atmosphere for yourself, but we appreciate that this is not always possible for everyone. Whether you’re based overseas, living too far away or otherwise engaged during the festival this year, we want to give everyone the opportunity to soak up the sounds of the sea, and sing along to the rousing harmonies of this year’s shanty groups.
Based in Events Square, the livestream video will be set up to capture all performances on the Seasalt main stage, from the opening ceremony at 1pm on Friday 13th June to the closing ceremony at 6pm on Sunday 15th June.
With the option to livestream the whole weekend or choose a single day ticket for any of the dates, you can purchase your livestream tickets here.
Please support the future of the Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival by purchasing official merchandise from The Cornish Store and merchandise stands on Events Square, Church Street car park and at the Princess Pavilion.
All money raised from merchandise sales goes towards future festivals and, in turn, the RNLI.
A variety of food traders will be bringing a range of savoury and sweet treats to Events Square and Church Street car park throughout the weekend, adding to the vibrant atmosphere and ensuring visitors do not go hungry.
At the other end of town, The Moor will also feature some familiar favourites, alongside a range of new traders selling tasty street-food snacks, artwork, fashion and handmade jewellery.
You can also visit The Princess Pavilion to soak up the lively spirit of traditional sea shanty music while browsing a variety of crafts, deli treats, and artisan goods from 10am to 6pm on Friday and Saturday, and from 10am to 4pm on Sunday.
Visitors to this year’s Sea Shanty Festival will have several options for reaching the event, whether by car, train, bus, or boat. Please take a moment to review the information below to help plan your journey and ensure a smooth arrival.
By Car:
Car parks are available at both ends of the town. We recommend choosing your parking location based on the venues you intend to visit during the festival. Please note that high visitor numbers are expected, and parking may be limited. Click here for details on car park locations throughout Falmouth.
By Train:
Falmouth Town Station will be closed for the duration of the festival. This is due to the Falmouth Docks Station having a longer and therefore safer station platform and better management systems in place for the large number of visitors we expect over the weekend. All train services will terminate at Falmouth Docks Station. When booking, please ensure your ticket is to Falmouth Docks rather than Falmouth Town.
Park and Float:
The Park & Float service will operate from Ponsharden to Prince of Wales Pier, with departures every 20 minutes throughout the festival beginning at 9.45am. Gates to the car park will be open from 9am with the bottom gate near Falmouth Marina remaining open until midnight to allow vehicles to exit. The final boat return from Falmouth will be at 8:30pm on Friday 13th and Saturday 14th June and 8pm on Sunday 15th June (subject to weather and tides).
Alternatively, you can park in Ponsharden car park for free and catch the U1, U2, U3 and U4 First or 69A Go Cornwall bus services from the bus stop outside of McDonalds (all with tap on and tap off payment option). For the return journey, disembark at the Sainsburys bus stop.
By Bus:
Falmouth is well served by regular bus services, with routes stopping conveniently near the festival area. This is a great option if you are travelling locally or wish to avoid parking. You can check the latest local bus timetables by visiting First bus, OTS and Transport for Cornwall.
Road Closures
A30
Commencing on Monday 9 June there will be twenty weeknight closures of the A30 continuing for 4 weeks ending on Saturday the 5 July 2025. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, operating from 8pm to 6am nightly.
In week one only, these will affect the A39 and B3288 Carland Cross to Boxheater.
Week 1 Closure – A30 will be closed from Chiverton Interchange to Mitchell – both eastbound and westbound. The A39 will be closed between Cornwall Farm Machinery and Carland Cross. B3285 closed between Carland Cross and Boxheater For the A39 to the A30 the diversion will be via the B3275 Ladock Valley Road to Fraddon. There will be NO access to the A39 past the Shell Garage. The diversion route can be viewed here.
You can find out more information about all of our travel options on the visitor information page of our webpage here.
Since it began in 1987, Falmouth Classics has steadily grown to be one of the largest classic sailing events in the UK.
Featuring three days of enjoyable racing, as well as The Parade of Sail and Power and the Heather and Lay Small Boat Parade, Falmouth Bay will be full of classic yachts throughout the three days of the Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival.
With racing taking place from 11:30am on Friday 13th and Saturday 14th and parades taking place on Sunday 15th, the best places to watch include Trefusis Point, Castle Drive and Pendennis Point or St Mawes Castle and the coast path towards St Anthony’s lighthouse. The Falmouth Haven will also be open to the public on Saturday outside of racing.
More detailed information can be found here.
As you enjoy the vibrant programme of performances during the Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival, we encourage you to take time to explore the town itself.
Falmouth is home to a delightful array of independent shops, galleries, and local businesses, perfect for a leisurely browse between shanties. Whether you’re in search of unique gifts, coastal treasures, or handmade crafts, there’s something special to discover around every corner.
When it comes to food and drink, you’ll be spoiled for choice. From cosy cafés and award-winning restaurants to welcoming pubs and harbourside eateries, there are plenty of places to relax and refuel throughout the weekend.
Looking Ahead to Next Year?
If you’re already dreaming of next year’s shanties echoing through the streets of Falmouth, you’re not alone!
You can find the dates for future Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festivals on the website, making it easier than ever to plan your next visit.
For the latest festival updates, including schedule changes and important announcements, please visit the official website: Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival
You can also follow on Facebook or Instagram for real-time news, photos, and highlights throughout the event.
