It probably seems like I like talking about Falmouth a lot….which I do, however recently it seems it’s just that time of year when Falmouth puts on loads of events outside in the beautiful weather, and this weekend is no exception.

This week we have The Falmouth Sea Shanty Festival (17th – 19th June 2011). If you are not from a coastal area there is a good chance you won’t know what a ‘Sea Shanty’ is, never fear people, I’ve got the definition of a Sea Shanty right here for you:

Sea shanties are songs that were sung by sailors in rhythm whilst working. The word is thought to derive from the French words chanter meaning “to sing”, which gives rise to the spelling variations “chanty”, “chantey”, “chanties”, and “chanteys”. Another thought as to where the word originated with American loggers, sailors, rail road and dock workers. These migrant workmen typically lived in camps of “shanties” and would spend most of their leisure time drinking, singing and playing music in their camps, and the folk songs that they sang came to be called “shanty songs”.

Sea shanties songs were sung by sailors to ease the burden of hard physical labour. A true sea shanty was sung in rhythm to work on the ship and never during leisure time. Different types of shanties were sung to accompany the various tasks on the ship, for example halyard shanties were sung during the raising and lowering the sails and capstain shanties during the raising or lowering of the anchor.

Check out a preview of a shanty track here…

So now when someone asks you what a Sea Shanty is, or it comes up in a pub quiz you’ll know.

The Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival was founded and is organised by Falmouth Shout (the local shanty group). The continuing work by members of Falmouth Shout, with the support of the RNLI has ensured that it has become a successful and popular annual event. The Festival has three main aims:

* To create an enjoyable event for all involved
* To raise money for the RNLI
* To preserve and promote the maritime heritage of Falmouth and Cornwall

This year there will be more than 25 shanty groups performing at three main stages (and six other venues through out Falmouth).

Main Stages:
Custom House Quay
Events Square
The Moor Piazza

Town Venues:
The Front, The Shipwrights, The Matthew (moored at Custom House Quay Friday and Saturday evenings) Five Degrees West, Watersports Centre, Gylly Café, Maritime Museum.

Times:
The Opening Ceremony starts on Friday (17th) at 6.30pm on Custom House Quay and the singing programme will begin at 7pm on two of the three main stages (Custom House Quay and Events Square) until 10pm, and at several other venues in town until….late!

Saturday’s main programme will begin at 11.00am, with the Moor Piazza main stage opening its programme alongside the other two main stages and again several venues in town.

Sunday will begin with a special service at King Charles the Martyr church in town, at 10.30am, supported by the Sheringham Shantymen. The main singing programme begins at 12.00 midday at all main venues, and continues till 4pm when Treverva Male Voice Choir will close the Festival on Events Square.

I have attended the event for the last few years and have been blown away by the songs these guys sing….they are all a lively bunch and great to have a chat with (when they aren’t singing). I highly recommend grabbing a pint of ale (it is traditional after all), sitting back and relaxing.

Enjoy

Karl