Sea Shanty Trains

October 12th, 2024 (Tickets on sale from August 12th)Catch either the 1059hrs or 1159hrs train from Manningtree to Harwich Town.Adults £5 Children £3Join Essex & South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership […]

Tyburn Road

Ian and Dave bring to the stage a wealth of experience performing, touring and researching traditional songs & music. With voices and concertina, they offer a delightful repertoire of unusual […]

Two Bitts

Pete Stockwell and Dave Ellis, one time Double Trouble and Forebitter (for those with long memories) have reformed as 2 Bitts. They’ll sing and play anything that’s remotely connected with […]

Sloop Groggy Dogs

Sloop Groggy Dogs sing traditional shanties with high energy and a passion that connects with audiences of all ages. Their shows are both engaging and memorable, raising many thousands of […]

Shotley Wailers

Since their debut at Harwich International Shanty Festival last year, Shotley Wailers have been developing their repertoire of singalong, shanty and war songs.  Now accompanied by bass, melodeon, penny whistle, […]

ShantyFolk

A landlocked a capella shanty and folk crew from Lavenham in Suffolk, ShantyFolk have been entertaining audiences at home and abroad since 2014. Audiences enjoy both their blended voices and […]

SeaFeaver

The three members of SeaFeaver have all previously made their mark in the seasong/ shanty world with different shanty groups, but have now come together to form SeaFeaver, an innovative […]

Rusty Tubs

The Rusty Tubs are a raucous musical act that sweeps you away on a journey across the high seas with rowdy shanties, wistful songs of the sea, and spirited traditional […]

Rattlin’ Winches

If you look hard, you might spot the three members of Rattlin’ Winches singing in other guises over the festival weekend. Another home-grown Harwich shanty group the Winches deliver spirited […]

Quaynotes

Quaynotes play a mix of sea themed songs and tunes from haunting Celtic harp tunes to ballads of sea longing, partings and sailing life. The three Quaynotes are all sailors […]

Pot of Gold

Now in their eight year, Pot of Gold have performed at many clubs and festivals and have gained an enviable reputation for singing both traditional and contemporary sea songs and […]

Motley Crew

Long, long ago a group of like-minded chaps hit on the idea of singing sea shanties for fun. Despite it being a late night at the Yacht Club, most of […]

Mains’l Haul

Mains’l Haul specialise in singing sea shanties, which were work songs designed for the hard and strenuous physical exertion required to sail ships in the late eighteenth early nineteenth century. […]

Landlubbers

United by a passion for music and grog, the Landlubbers plough their own furrow under a banner they call ‘Industrial Chant’.  Self-penned songs depicting our industrial heritage and inspiring landscapes, […]

Kimber’s Men

Audiences everywhere rave over the harmonies of Kimber’s Men. And none more so than in Harwich where the group remain one of our top favourites. They are regular performers at […]

Just Voices

Just Voices from Hamburg, Germany are regular Harwich-visitors and supporters of the festival. Renate and Jan have performed together for over twenty years and have a large repertoire of country, […]

Jolly Grogsters

The Jolly Grogsters are Bristol’s answer to all things shanty/folk with a twist of pirate. They can rival any shanty band with their watery tales and drinking tunes. If you […]

The Jack Tars

The Jack Tars are an energetic Yorkshire-based Shanty band specialising in traditional seafaring songs and British/Irish folk staples. The Tars are ready to transport audiences back in time to the […]

Impressed

Impressed perform sea songs and shanties both traditional and contemporary. They sing a capella and accompanied by a variety of instruments and are noted for their rousing choruses, inviting audience […]

Hoy Boy

An enthusiastic sea shanty singer with a love of maritime and folk music, Pete Purnell specialises in rousing shanties and ensures an entertaining performance wherever he goes. Pete is also […]

Hoolies

Hailing from nearby Wivenhoe, The Hoolies sing an entertaining mix of traditional shanties and songs of the sea with lively musical accompaniment. They combine a love of shanty singing with […]

HogEye Men

The HogEye Men have almost 20 years’ history of shanty singing in the traditional unaccompanied style, and feature regularly at events in London and further afield. Proud to be the […]

Harwich Shanty Crew

Another “home grown” group, Harwich Shanty Crew evolved from a Shanty Workshop held at one of our early Festivals. The members of the crew all enjoy singing together and perform […]

Golden Rivets

One of the many “home grown” Harwich groups, Golden Rivets have been singing upbeat songs of the sea for a number of years. They may prefer to keep that number […]

Grietje Sprot

Return of the fabulous Grietje Sprot who wowed us all back in 2016 and 2017 with their engaging performances. They are a traditional Fishwives Choir from Hindeloopen in the Netherlands […]

Friggitt

Friggitt are a shanty trio from Wiltshire who perform a variety of songs connected with the sea and sailors. Alongside well known traditional and contemporary songs they sing original compositions […]

Freddie’s Barnet

Freddie’s Barnet are an acoustic band established in 2019. They are a fun and slightly different trio playing folk songs, shanties and singalongs. They are keen supporters of the RNLI […]

Fire & Ice

All 5 members of this crew were students at the London Nautical School, several went to sea after leaving school and some have recently crewed together on tall ships. The […]

FelixStowaways

From just across the water, Felixstowe’s ultimate Buoy Band, the FelixStowaways join us once again. In their home county of Suffolk and much further afield, the crew have a busy […]

Dazzle

Between them Dazzle have over 40 years’ experience singing and playing sea songs and shanties and have performed at festivals, folk gigs, grassroots venues and a variety of sailing vessels. […]

Columbines

Columbines have performed around the East Anglian folk scene for the past few years. An all-female trio known for their close harmony singing they perform a variety of their own […]

Chris Roche

Chris Roche has been singing shanties for probably more years than he cares to remember being a founder member of The Shanty Crew on the Cutty Sark back in 1973. […]

Cask

Cask are a Shanty daughter and father duo from Teignmouth in Devon. Singing new and old shanties and forebitters, plus sea songs they have performed at various Pirate and Shanty […]

Brise Glace

The members of Brise Glace pack a formidable sixty years of collective experience into their lively performances armed with guitar, banjo, accordion and four voices. Combining traditional and contemporary material, […]

Black Deep

Black Deep are a Harwich crew and take their name from a deep-water channel just offshore. They sing sea songs and shanties, mainly traditional, but with a few more modern […]

2024 Festival

NEW: 2024 Artists listing is now available! https://harwichshantyfestival.co.uk/category/artists-2024/ We are excited to be planning this year’s Festival (11-13 October), and are looking for volunteer stewards to help us with the […]

Linda Irene Mitchell

It’s another sad post unfortunately. Linda Irene Mitchell, more affectionately known as ‘Little Lin’, was a member of ‘The Golden Rivets’ for over 20 years and played at the Harwich […]

Treasure Hunt Results

Congratulations to all the winners: Hazel Prosser, Adam Rudland, Alex Sandquest joint first children The Mayflowers 1st Adults 19/20 Andy & Maggie Schooler 2nd 18/20, Peter & Sheila Davis plus […]

2023 T Shirt

Our 2023 T-Shirt is now available in our online store, plus from the Ha’Penny Pier visitors centre. https://store.harwichshantyfestival.co.uk/product/2023-tshirt/

El Pony Pisador

El Pony Pisador describe themselves as a cross between JRR Tolkein’s world and Monty Python! Humorous, quirky, entertaining and hugely talented, this captivating group have in the last few years […]

Rogue Shanty Buoys

The Rogue Shanty Buoys were described by fRoots magazine as “Guardians of the old songs, delivered with captivating authority.” The group have an unmistakably bold sound and an emphasis on […]

Steve Turner

Steve Turner can boast a long list of accolades from the folk world including “majestic, brilliant, sheer genius and foremost concertina player of his generation”. We are delighted that Steve […]

Silver Darlings

Since they first cast off in 2017, the Silver Darlings, an all-female crew from Southend on Sea, have been making waves both nationwide and internationally.  With their beautiful harmonies, interweaving […]

Spinnaker Shanty

Spinnaker Shanty was initially formed to help out at an event on board The Victory in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. From that day the group has continued to perform at many […]

Short Drag Roger

Now in their 20th year, Short Drag Roger continue to bring shanties and sea songs to the landlocked people of Oxfordshire and further afield. They have performed at shanty and […]

Tyburn Road

This talented duo join us again with some accomplished musicianship, harmonious singing and intriguing workshops. Their musical expertise and relaxed presentation make their performances readily accessible and a delight to […]