The stage is set… the countdown is on… and Sea Ilfracombe Maritime Festival 2026 is ready to make waves!

Following the incredible success of 2025, we’re raising the bar once again for the 17th Sea Ilfracombe Maritime Festival.

Get ready for our biggest and most exciting live music programme yet, as we welcome back some of the festival’s most-loved favourites alongside an outstanding line-up of brand-new artists making their Sea Ilfracombe debut.

From stirring sea shanties and folk favourites to high-energy performances that will keep the harbour buzzing all weekend.

Sea Ilfracombe Maritime Festival 2026 promises an unforgettable soundtrack to an unforgettable weekend.

And all this for FREE!

Saturday  5th  September  2026

Over Two Main Stages

Music starts at 1230 Curfew 2200

The Webbers Stage

The Fullabrook CIC Stage

Born in the heart of Ilfracombe, Scuttlebutt Shanty is a lively community sea shanty crew that has quickly become one of North Devon’s best-loved maritime music groups. Blending powerful harmonies with traditional sea shanties, original songs and plenty of pirate-inspired fun, the crew brings energy, humour and audience participation to every performance. They regularly perform at festivals and community events across the South West while proudly supporting local charities, including the RNLI.

The group rehearses and performs weekly in Ilfracombe, welcoming locals and visitors alike to join in the singing and celebrate the area’s rich maritime heritage. Their passion for keeping the traditions of the sea alive makes them the perfect ambassadors for the town’s vibrant coastal community.

We are delighted that Scuttlebutt Shanty will officially open the Sea Ilfracombe Maritime Festival with a rousing performance at 12:30pm on Saturday 5th June, setting the tone for a fantastic weekend celebrating our coastal community and maritime heritage. Expect stirring sea songs, infectious enthusiasm and a warm Ilfracombe welcome that will have everyone ready to join the festivities.

You can find out more about Highway over on their Facebook page  – HERE

Hailing from the shores of St Austell Bay in Cornwall, The Press Gang have been entertaining audiences with powerful harmonies, foot-stomping sea shanties and evocative maritime songs since 2012. Blending traditional shanties with songs celebrating Cornwall’s rich coastal heritage, the group has earned a reputation as one of the South West’s most engaging and accomplished vocal acts.

Known for their energetic performances and warm audience interaction, The Press Gang breathe new life into classic seafaring songs while adding their own distinctive arrangements and Cornish character. Their repertoire ranges from rousing work songs once sung aboard sailing ships to stirring ballads and contemporary maritime favourites, making every performance both entertaining and memorable.

Regular performers at major sea shanty festivals, theatres, concerts and community events across the UK, The Press Gang have built a loyal following thanks to their infectious enthusiasm and authentic love of Cornwall’s maritime traditions. Whether performing in an intimate harbour-side venue or on a festival stage, they never fail to get audiences singing along.

Follow The Press Gang on Facebook

Ever popular and back to pack out the front of our Saturday night stage at the 2026 Festival, this 6 piece Ska/Reggae tribute band never fail deliver.

Bring your dancing shoes!

Check them out on Facebook

Dust off your dancing shoes and prepare to sing your socks off as The Greater Good Band are in town!

With a huge range of tunes for all ages and musical tastes, this awesome foursome bring high-energy, feel good music that will have you dancing from start to finish.

From indie classics to old school soul, and rock anthems to pop bangers – they have you covered!

Check out their brand new website HERE and give them a follow on Facebook

Sunday 6th September

Over two Main Stages

Music starts at 1210 Curfew 1800

The Webbers Stage

The Fullabrook CIC Stage

The Press Gang are a group of friends who have a mutual passion for singing songs of the sea and Cornwall. Difficult to describe but a pleasure to listen to, The Press Gang’s primary aim is to have humorous and harmonious fun!

Follow The Press Gang on Facebook

We have a very special artist returning to Sea Ilfracombe this year and we are very proud to welcome back Ruby Darbyshire.

DO NOT MISS THIS PERFORMANCE!

Music has always been part of Ruby’s life. From the age of three when her Dad started teaching her harmonica and her first performance on the Royal Mile at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival at the age of four, she was hooked. Since then, Ruby has performed round the world in more than 35 countries, played at hundreds of festivals, concerts and events.  After many prestigious opportunities playing at the Cheese and Grain to the Barrowlands, Bingley Festival to Kendall Calling and rerecording her Debut EP in Bristol.
You can check out the title track of Ruby’s EP Crowded Lightbringer by clicking the image below – ENJOY!

As with all things “live” artists and timings are subject to change, so on the day please keep an eye out for any updates that will be announced on the festival site as necessary.

Rewind to 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019 and 2018!

Last year, 2025, saw a really massive crowd enjoy some great bands and artists performing at their very best. Ok we had a few showers but the sun was out to dry up the puddles. We welcomed new comer Ruby Darbyshire to the Festival and had fantastic headliners in The Greater Good and The Nomads.

Sea Ilfracombe 2024 Music Line Up

The sun returned to shine over our double stage set up in 2024 sponsored by Fullabrook CIC and TDK. Everyone seemed to be even more involved this year as more people took to dancing all day and into the night in front of our amazing artists who once again delivered and much, much more. As the sun set,  the crowd for The Nomads on the Saturday was very impressive and we were treated to the very best of shanty sets from Anchors Aweigh and Pressgang.

2023 saw the two stage set up continue, and we were blessed with glorious sunshine. There was much dancing, especially from the younger crowd who were loving being right in front of the stage doing their thing.

2022 saw the two stage set up continue, which despite a few showers continued to be a success. The shanty tones of Anchors Aweigh and Press Gang were very well received with the return of Gypfunk and a festival 1st appearance from The Greater Good getting people up and dancing. Both Basils Blues Band and The Nomads packed the front of stage with fantastic performances ensuring everyone went home happy.

2021 saw a change in the stage set up as things were moved from within the huge marquee to our twin outdoor staging, less time between band changes equaled more music! Again a great mix of music with Gypfunk on the Sunday bringing a huge smile to eveyone’s faces after having been truly woken up by some hard rock courtesy of Highway.

2019 featued the ever popular sea shanty bands (before they even became a worldwide phenomenon) but an eclectic mix of magical acts saw The Rivals, Such & Vincent, Samba and Sonic Fusion play awesome sets to a marquee full of happy dancing festival-goers of all ages

2018 saw  not only the return of the popular sea shanty bands but an eclectic mix ranging from blues, rock, folk, popular acoustic, pop, rock & roll, soul, jazz funk and ska.

Saturday night l2018 saw The Liquidators play to a packed marquee of ska fans whilst folk rock duo Sound of the Sirens closed the festival with an amazing set on Sunday evening.

Sound of the Sirens  Live @ Sea Ilfracombe 2018