SeaFest and Cork Harbour Festival are coming together for Ireland’s biggest maritime celebration, which will take place in Cork this June. Cork City Council and the Inter-Departmental Marine Coordination Group (MCG) present SeaFest, a national free and family friendly maritime festival, at the Port of Cork on 7 – 9 June. This will be the culmination of a weeklong celebration of Ireland’s rich maritime heritage, as the annual Cork Harbour Festival runs from 1 – 9 June, with over 70 events for all to enjoy. The programmes of both festivals will be announced in the coming weeks. For more see seafest.ie and corkharbourfestival.com.

Having been held in Galway for the past three years, Cork City Council and MCG — made up of government departments with responsibility for marine matters —  will now present SeaFest from 2019 – 2021. More than 100,000 are expected to attend the national annual festival on Cork city’s quays, celebrating what the ocean has to offer.

Speaking on today’s announcement, Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Mick Finn said: “We are delighted that Cork city will enjoy two festivals this June, with nine action-packed days of activities focused on the water. While Cork Harbour Festival will celebrate Cork’s rich maritime heritage, SeaFest will acknowledge the value of Ireland’s oceans and encourage national engagement with our seas. These two festivals will be a spectacular showcase for both locals and visitors alike, with an amazing variety of family-focused events, exhibits, talks, demonstrations, and workshops soon to be announced.”

Cork Harbour Festival Manager Joya Kuin added: “June will be a fantastic celebration of all things maritime, with Cork Harbour Festival returning with another jam-packed programme and SeaFest docking at the city’s quayside for the next three years. The collaboration of the two festivals will highlight to a local, national and international audience our rich maritime culture and how easily it can be accessed for all to enjoy.”

SeaFest is part funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union under Ireland’s European Maritime & Fisheries Fund Operational Programme for the seafood sector.