Whitby Fish and Ships Festival - where to enjoy the sea shanties, cookery, live music and tours

You can look forward to a celebration of Whitby’s fishing heritage on May 20 and 21, including live cookery demonstrations throughout the weekend in the seafood kitchen on Endeavour Wharf, featuring local and celebrity chefs, with a special focus on seafood.

Among the chefs you can see on in the Dock End food theatre are Paul Gildroy, Head Chef at the Magpie Café in Whitby; Andrew Barker of Hodgson Fish, and Whitby chef Rob Green, owner of Yorkshire Seafood Kitchen, with guest, nine-year-old Lily Porter, Skills with Lils, doing a mini demo.

Whitby Sea Festival will entertain people with sea balladeers and shantymen as well as local bands, a special concert and more at venues including Dock End and the Bandstand.

There will be stalls aplenty, showcasing local produce, children’s activities and walkabout acts while you can join in interactive workshops, tours, talks and children’s activities at venues around town.

Dogwood Productions, a Community Interest Company, based in Whitby, will be producing three shows: The Sea, The Shore and The Saved that will tour the town visiting eight venues across the weekend.

Each performance lasts for around 20 to 30 minutes and can be enjoyed in any order, admission free.

Whitby RNLI crew will open the Lifeboat station and provide tours around the lifeboats (subject to operations), which will provide an opportunity to ask questions and hear about their vital life-saving work.

You can also enjoy a guided tour of Whitby’s own shipyard, Parkol Marine, with a special viewing of any fishing vessels under construction.