WESTON’S new Labour MP will open the fourth edition of the town’s Sea Shanty and Folk Music Festival.

The Steepholmers Shanty Band will be welcoming Dan Aldridge to open the festival’s 2024 edition.

Supported by Weston-super-Mare Town Council and a host of local businesses. It’s been a busy year for The Steepholmers with the release of their debut album, “Heave Ho!” (available on all major streaming services).

The festival takes place from Friday, August 2 to Sunday, August 4 August 2024, will again see a variety of bands playing at venues across the town raising vital funds for the Weston-super-Mare RNLI and The Weston-super-Mare Lions Club.

Last year £3000 was donated to the charities.

The festival is a major event in the southwest music calendar bringing an opportunity for everyone to enjoy live music in a safe and family-friendly way.

Dozens of bands from all over the UK and beyond are set to appear at 16 venues across the Town Centre and Seafront Admission to all venues will be free of charge.

You’ll see dastardly pirates appearing on our shores and over 200 hours of Music from our host of Shanty and Folk performers. A full programme of events is available at www.wsmsghantyfest.com.

With 16 venues spread across the town centre, the Seafront, and as always, the main stage in the Italian Gardens. There will be plenty to eat and drink from our local shops and venues plus visiting caterers in The Italian Gardens, while you enjoy the waves of music spreading across our traditional seaside town.

All bands have donated their services for free in support of our chosen charities, Weston-super-Mare RNLI, who are celebrating the organisations 200th year, and The Weston-super-Mare Lions Club.

All those attending will be able to donate at the many collection points at our venues across the town throughout the weekend.

Sea shanties have long been very popular as a key part of Britain’s unique folk music scene.

Essentially, they are work songs, commonly sung by sailors on board large merchant vessels and sometimes ships of the Royal Navy.

When vessels converted to steam-power, the sea shanty ceased to serve a practical function, fortunately however, they survived into the modern era thanks to veteran sailors and folk song collectors, and when folk music became popular again in the modern era, so too did the sea shanty.

Now, in Britain today, there are sea shanty bands all over the country, and the scene is growing year on year; and it’s easy to see why, they’re good toe-tapping fun for all the family.