Harbour Fest

Whitehaven’s historic harbour will burst into life this summer as Harbour Fest returns on Saturday 30th August. Presented by West Coast cultural organisation, Rosehill, in partnership with Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners, the free one-day festival will see the waterfront transformed into a stage for world-class performance, music, and creative family activities. 

This year, Bamboo by NoFit State Circus brings high-impact acrobatics, live music, and moments of breathtaking balance using nothing but bamboo poles and human bodies. Audiences can also expect pop-up encounters with Theatre Factory’s giant collie, ‘Bowie’, improvised musical creations from The Songsmiths, live artist demonstrations from Anne Blankson-Hemans' Fragments of Belonging residency, interactive installations which transforms the hidden world of fungi into sound with Mycelium Thinking, and the fable-inspired fun of The Fabularium’s Carnival of Animals. 

Whitehaven’s maritime spirit will be celebrated through the harmonies of the Solway Shanty Crew, while Soundwave’s Hub stage will have an all-day line-up of Cumbrian talent, including a specially formed brass band, soulful soloists, and indie-pop favourites mylittlebrother. 

As well as performances and installations, the festival offers many ways to get involved. Families can explore creativity at Tent Club, enjoy pavement art sessions, discover the town’s textile heritage aboard the Everyone Here Bus with Handpicked Productions’ Sekers exhibition, dive into hands-on play at the RagTag Roadshow or join a spontaneous, playful workshop to create quirky performances using natural objects, movement, and sound with Move, Eat & Listen. Local makers will showcase their work at the TEG Makers Market on King Street beside a host of exhibitions curated from community art sessions. The National Trust will also be hosting a Quiet Zone on Wellington Terrace, offering sensory storytelling, sandcastle building, soft archery, swingball, and more. 

Alongside a jam-packed programme of events and activities at Harbour Fest, The Beacon Museum will also be offering free entry between 10:00 - 11:00, the Continental Market will be open on Millennium Parade, and The Rum Story will host Harbour Fest After Hours - The Mystery of the Pirate Lagoon from Cumbrian theatre company Ragged Edge Productions.