2019: Leigh Maritime Festival - Leigh Fishing Festival Replacement

Leigh on Sea Maritime Festival

Sunday 2nd August 2015
Leigh Old Town

After the sucess of our first Maritime Festival last year, plans are afoot to have even more attractions from the popular 'Kids Zone' on Strand Wharf where we all had lots of crabbing fun to a featured exihbit on 'The London', the nautical archeological local discovery, with a chance to view some of the relics from the dive site.

Southend Maritime Festival

There is something for everyone as this holiday festival will include a special Italian food market as well as Really Homemade Craft Fayre and a wealth of entertainment.

As with all Leigh Town Council events, it is free to all but we do hope our visitors will be generous in making a donation to our nominated charities including RNLI.

Please note the High Street will be closed to traffic on Sunday 2nd August from 10 am. Limited parking will be available in Belton Bridge car parks but we do recommend you park at Leigh Station where there is ample parking at a reasonable after 10 am.

The Leigh Fishing Festival will relaunch in 2014 as a Maritime Festival in 2014, encompassing more than just fishing elements.

It was designed to raise the profile of the cockling and fishing industries in Leigh and to celebrate the fishing industry in the area and sees thousands of people visiting Old Leigh.

Aims :
Increase public awareness of the fishing and cockling industries and related seafood activities in Leigh.
Illustrate to the public how the fishing industry and the port works.
Give members of the public the opportunity to meet and talk to fishermen and learn about the different vessels and methods of fishing.
Benefit businesses involved in the fishing and cockling industries.

Leigh Town Council has decided to stop the festival in what would have been its tenth year. The Leigh Regatta and the Leigh Folk Festival remain unchanged.

Fishing Festival Links:

The Fishwives Choir were formed in Leigh on Sea.

West Mersea Oyster Bar

RNLI

The Jubilee Sailing Trust promotes their charity which enables people of all physical abilities to share the challenge and adventure of tall ship sailing.

The Fishermen's Chapel of the New Road Methodist Church
Fishermen's Service held at 11.00am

Port of London Authority

Leigh Art Trail

Old Leigh Regatta

The Last Leigh Fishing Festival took place on19th August 2012
11.00am to 4.00pm

Get hooked on our annual Leigh Fishing Festival, showing the importance of the area as a busy fishing centre and working port.

Leigh Town Council works in partnership with fishermen to organise the event, which aims to:

Increase public awareness of the fishing and cockling industries and related seafood activities in Leigh
Illustrate to the public how the fishing industry and the port works
Give members of the public the opportunity to meet and talk to fishermen and learn about the different vessels and methods of fishing
Benefit businesses involved in the fishing and cockling industries

During the day visitors have the chance to see currently working fishing boats which will be moored from the wharves together with Endeavour, the restored Dunkirk ‘little ship' which rescued allied forces during the Second World War and now used for community and educational purposes.

Subject to weather conditions, a local Fishing Boat lands a catch during the Festival. The catch is blessed, followed by a sale of the fish caught. The boats attending the Fishing Festival illustrate the different types of vessel used for fishing for flatfish and shellfish. Other organisations participating in the event give information, provide leaflets and help residents and visitors understand the marine environment in which Leigh exists and the problems faced by commercial fishermen and associated activities.

There is much opportunity to taste locally caught cockles, other seafood and to buy fish from local businesses and Essex grown oysters from the West Mersey Oyster Company.

Other activities throughout the day can include: -

A demonstration of traditional marine skills, such as net mending and sail making, together with demonstrations of knots and splicing
Sea Scouts and rangers events: sailing, rowing and swimming
Sealife Adventure in Southend displaying a rock pool with local crabs and starfish
Marine rescue boats from the RNLI, Coastguard Marine Rescue Unit & The Essex Police Marine Unit attending
Various representatives from Southend-on-Sea Borough Council present to explain the environment around the estuary, food safety, and other aspects of the regulations to ensure that fish is brought safely to your table. Displays and leaflets explaining what they do for the public and to assist the fishing industry
Beach and Sea Safety trailers from the RNLI and the Port of London Authority
Sea shanties
Seascapes from a local artist
The Fishermen's Chapel of the New Road Methodist Church opens for visitors viewing with refreshments between 10.00am and 2.00pm and usually a Fishermen's Service held at 11.00am
The Jubilee Sailing Trust promotes their charity which enables people of all physical abilities to share the challenge and adventure of tall ship sailing

Other organisations who exhibit at the Fishing Festival include: Kent and Essex Sea Fisheries Committee, Southend Natural History Museum, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Essex Wildlife Trust, Environment Agency, London Port Health Authority, Shellfish Association of GB, and Endeavour Trust.

The event is informal and friendly, with plenty of information and activities for all the family.