THE Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival will return to the Cornish port with three days of maritime music for the 22nd year running.

Taking place from Friday, June 12 to Sunday, June 14, more than 80 groups from across the UK and overseas are expected to descend on the town for a jam-packed weekend of jovial song, harbourside harmonies, salty shanties and deck stomping choruses.

The event will transform the harbour, pubs, bars, streets and waterfront venues of Falmouth into a celebration of traditional salty songs of the sea. Enthusiastic performers will travel from across the UK as well as internationally, with groups arriving from France, Ireland, Canada, the Netherlands and beyond.

Since its beginnings in 2004, the festival celebrates both the historic roots of maritime work songs and the global community of singers keeping the tradition alive.

Over the years the shanty scene has continued to evolve, with a new generation of performers bringing fresh energy to the tradition.

The full schedule for Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival 2026 will be announced in the coming weeks, but the festival will welcome back many familiar favourites, including Falmouth’s premier all-female sea shanty group, Acapella Moonshine, who have been performing at the event for 12 years.

Another popular returning act is Femmes de la Mer, a 15-strong Cornish group formed ten years ago, who first appeared at the festival in 2015.

The ‘original salty sea dogs’, Falmouth Shout will also return for 2026. This is the group that decided to create the very first Falmouth shanty festival back in 2004.

LGBTQIA+ sea shanty choir Seaweed in a Fruitlocker will be back for a third year with talented Plymouth-based artist Rhys Morgan at the helm.

Festival chair Richard Gates said, “For over two decades, Falmouth has played host to the International Sea Shanty Festival and long may this continue. It started back in 2004 as a grassroots event with a modest five groups popping up around the town’s Custom House Quay to make their voices heard.

“Today it is the largest free nautical event in Europe and in 2026, more than 60,000 visitors are expected to see sea shanty groups from all over the world come together to perform all over the town. It really is quite incredible.”

With performances from over 80 groups across multiple venues, visitors can expect a lively programme of music, atmosphere and maritime heritage throughout the town.

For more information, visit: www.falmouthseashanty.co.uk.