SeaFest returns to the beach at St Bees on Saturday 6 August from 10.00am to 4.00pm. It’s an action-packed family-friendly celebration of the amazing wildlife found in the Irish Sea and a demonstration of how we can enjoy local seafood in a sustainable way.  

We will be joined by top local chefs giving seafood tasters and cooking demonstrations and the day’s varied activities include beach yoga and meditation, arts and crafts, rockpool rambles, guided birdwatching and dolphin surveys, a wildflower and pollinator BioBlitz, not forgetting the famous annual sand sculpture competition – something for everyone!

SeaFest organiser Lucy Mather, Project Officer for Cumbria Wildlife Trust, said: “This year’s SeaFest is even bigger and better than before – we can’t wait to welcome everyone at St Bees on 6 August! This year for the first time we’re running paddle-sports tasters, storytelling sessions, and musical performances from local community groups.”

“You can get creative with sand sculptures, explore the little critters found in rockpools or relax with some chilled yoga and meditation. The festival is a great chance for us to celebrate the amazing wildlife found in the Irish Sea and for foodies, we’ll have some great demonstrations and tasters, showing how we can enjoy cooking and eating seafood in a way that respects the amazing seabed habitats on our coast.”  

The festival kicks off with the ever-popular Beached Art Sand Sculpture competition, at 10.30am. It will run all morning, with judging at 12.30, at low tide. As always, Cumbria’s local businesses have been incredibly generous offering great prizes for the best sea-life sand creatures. The prizes on offer include membership to Whinlatter and Grizedale Forest, and family tickets for Maryport Aquarium, The Beacon and The Rum Story museums, Maryport Clip ‘n’ Climb, and Derwentwater and Coniston cruises, with more prizes still to be confirmed.

You need to book in advance for Beached Art, but there are lots of other events which are drop-in, including:

• Rockpool rambles and beach bingo (10.30am-12.30pm)
• Mobile rockpool from Maryport Aquarium (all day)
• Paddlesports tasters from Copeland Canoe Club (1.30am-3.30pm)
• Arts and crafts from St Bees Little Learners (all day)
• Storytelling performances from Tale Trails & The L'aal Collective (all day)
• Musical performances and community play-along from Folk in the Fells (all day)
• Marine street art workshop from Beardy Syngery (10.30am-12.30pm)
• Litter mosaics workshop from St Bees litter champions (1.30pm-3.30pm)

We’re also running guided walks to see the amazing seabirds that nest on the cliffs at St Bees – these will set off from the registration tent at 10.30am, so you’ll need to arrive on time and ready to go!

Click here for more details about SeaFest. To book a pitch for Beached Art, phone us on 01539816300 or email events@cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk

(Suggested donation £3.00 per pitch.)

SeaFest is just one of many summer seaside activities we're running to celebrate National Marine Week (23 July to 7 August). Other events taking place along the Cumbrian coast include:

• Coastal foraging workshop, Workington, 24 July - discover the tasty treats found along the shoreline, and learn about sustainable seafood

• Mud dipping at Sandscale Haws, 26 July - learn about the mysterious creatures lurking under the mud!

• Coastal Explorers sand dune safari on Drigg Dunes, 1 August - discover the delights of the dunes and explore the extensive sands

• Rockpool ramble and Bioblitz near Whitehaven, 3 August - what’s hiding on in the rockpools of Parton Bay?

Click here to find out more about Marine Week events and to book.