What a Jolly Roger of a weekend we’ve had! We have been yo-ho-ho-ing, belaying, splicing, hanging from the yard-arm – in fact having three days of shanties at Barry Island’s Festival of the Sea. This is what the pre-fest blurb said:
On Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd June 2024, Wales’s first ever Shanty Festival will take place on Barry Island and in Barry town, as the RNLI celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2024. And it’s free of charge!
Over 40 Shanty bands of all types will be coming from all over the UK and beyond for two days of sea-related music across 10 fantastic venues, including a bespoke Event Marquee on the seafront promenade, pubs, cafes and hotels on the Island and in the town.
The event is being held as part of the RNLI’s 200th anniversary celebrations, and will bring this popular and accessible music to Barry, with food and drink stalls, children’s activities, and a lifeboat demonstration in Whitmore Bay.
I’ve mentioned that my husband is in a shanty band, the Beach’d Buoys, and they were delighted to attend and take part. So, on Friday we set off, with the other Buoys, across the Severn and into Wales, along the coast to Barry Island. The Buoys were due to perform several times, which they did with great aplomb and much appreciation from their audience.
It was blessed by lovely weather, and it was a splendid festival, with a wonderful atmosphere and shantying on every corner. We had never been to Barry before, but now we want to return to properly explore it and visit the museum there. I hope the organisers will build on their success and have another Barry fest next year – fingers crossed! I should have made a reference to crossed bones, but one escapes me at the moment.
Lois Elsden 