VIDEO: Stirring sounds of sea songs return to Harwich's shanty festival

Stirring sounds of music and sea shanties were heard throughout the streets, pubs and venues of the town over the weekend.

Harwich’s 16th annual shanty event took place from Friday to Sunday and the headliners included Bristol's The Longest Johns, Polish band Brasy and Nordet, from Lorient in Brittany, as well as Monkey's Fist.

Singers - the Rattlin’ Winches. Picture: David Daisley (Image: David Daisley)

This year’s festival featured almost 40 acts with artists travelling to Harwich to perform from the Netherlands, France, Germany and Poland and all over the UK.

Shanty festival organiser Pam Fitzgerald said: "We had a couple of bands drop out the day before due to Covid, but we managed to find cover for all the acts.

"The sun shone and the venues were all very busy - it went off very well.

Hans Weehuizen, from the Netherlands, on the sailing barge Excelsior. Picture: Paul Turvey (Image: Paul Turvey)

"We think there were 7,000 people in town over the weekend.

"It really is an original festival - there's nothing else quite like it as we get the whole town involved.

"It's a celebration of Harwich and its maritime history."

Cheers - Hoy Boy at Harwich Quay. Picture: Paul Turvey (Image: Paul Turvey)
Entertainment took place in St Nicholas Church, the Electric Palace cinema, Harwich Museum, on the Ha’penny Pier and on the Thames barges Victor and Excelsior as well as the Napoleonic-era Redoubt Fort.

There were more than 200 separate events, including concerts, singaround sessions, workshops, illustrated talks, guided walks, maritime crafts and street theatre and enactments.

Headliners - the Longest Johns (Image: Newsquest)

There were also enactments, including musket drills, cannon firing, skirmishes and sword displays by the River Rogues Pirates and the King’s German Artillery.

The shanty was also chosen for the installation ceremony of Harwich’s new Time and Tide Bell.