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Festivals & Events

From traditional and classic to the downright quirky and off-beat, Britons can always find something to celebrate with a Festival or Event. From Arts to Music (sometimes together) to the best of Food & Drink, Fishing, Walking, Sailing… to Kites and Balloon Fiestas. Plus, nationally or internationally important one-off commemorations.

The Festivals and Events featured here are just a small selection of those that visitors can enjoy. We simply don’t have room to list all festivals of all types but there really is something for everyone.

All are reachable from the port and each one takes place annually in the month(s) in brackets. Where an exact date is already known for a future event or commemoration then this is noted also. If there is a landmark event coming up from 2020 onwards we have listed it here.

Further information can be obtained from each of the ports or from the shore excursion specialists.

PortSort AttractionSort
Kirkwall, Orkney St Magnus Festival
Orkney Folk Festival
European Sea Angling Festival
Orkney Jazz & Blues Festival
Tyne Amble Puffin Festival
Vamos!
Mouth of the Tyne
Alnwick Food Festival
Lindisfarne Festival
Durham Lumiere (November)
Durham Christmas Market (December)
Liverpool Liverpool Sound City (early May annually)
River Festival Liverpool (May annually)
International Beatles Week (end Aug annually)
Liverpool International Horse Show (Dec annually)
Liverpool Beer Festival (Feb annually)
International Women's Day (Mar annually)
Light Night (April annually)
Baltic Weekender (May annually)
Southport Flower Show (Aug annually)
Creamfields (end Aug annually)
Let's Rock Liverpool (July annually)
Grand National horse race (April)
Cruise Wales Wales Airshow, Swansea (beg July annually)
Royal Welsh Show, Fishguard (July annually)
Llandudno Victorian Extravaganza, Holyhead (May annually)
Bristol Bristol Harbour Festival (July )
Bristol International Balloon Fiesta (Aug)
St Pauls Carnival (July)
Badminton Horse Trials (Mayy)
Bath Festival (May)
Bath Christmas Market (Dec annually)
Cheltenham Racing Festival (Mar)
Crimefest (June)
The Downs Festival (Sept)
Royal Bath & West Show (May)
Jane Austen Festival (2020)
Bristol Mayfest (May)
Bath MozartFest (Nov)
Weston Air Festival (June)
Bristol 650 years (throughout 2023)
Capital Cruising – London (Tilbury) and Edinburgh Greenwich & Docklands International Music Festival
Greenwich Music Time
Chelsea Flower Show
Wimbledon (June)
Torquay Torbay Air Show
International Agatha Christie Festival (Sept)
Brixham Pirate Festival (first week May annually)
Torbay Steam Fair (end July, beg Aug annually)
Cowes-Torquay International Offshore Powerboat Race (Aug annually)
Fowey Fowey Festival of Arts and Literature (May)
Fowey Royal Regatta (Aug annually)
Polruan Regatta (end Aug annually)
Fowey Christmas Market (end Nov/early Dec annually)
Destination Plymouth Pirates Weekend Plymouth (May)
Flavour Fest (May/June - weekend after last May bank holiday)
Plymouth Armed Forces Day (June)
British Firework Championships (August)
Ocean City Blues 'n' Jazz Festival (August)
Plymouth Seafood Festival (September)
Illuminate (November -Thanksgiving weekend)