Britannia rules the waves...! 

Dorset’s only free seafood festival has been brought forward to Jubilee weekend to mark Her Majesty's long reign with a magnificent haul of great fish and shellfish, fine local produce, and glorious live music 

A three-day celebration of the town’s lengthy and proud maritime and fishing heritage, Poole Seafood Festival also champions the thriving marine and leisure activities that make the town and its harbour - the second largest natural harbour in the world - the hive of economic activity it is today.

All the action is on Poole Quay and with guest chefs including Ian Salmon from Rick Stein Sandbanks, Ian Gibbs from the Guildhall Tavern in Poole's Old Town, and private chefs, TV curry queen Sarah Ali Choudbury and Christian Ørner of Poole-based SALT Cø, cooking live on the Seafood Stage there's sure to be some tasty treats and tips to tempt the most discerning palette.

“The lives of Poole people are inextricably linked to the sea and what better way to commemorate our island nation's longest serving monarch than with a feast from the sea?" says festival director Ben Dyas of Dorset Food Festivals. 

Fresh food and local produce stalls from gins to jewellery will line the Quay alongside the popular Champagne and Oyster bar, as well as local beer, cider and wine. Mouth watering highlights include the return of The Mussel Pod - they really are the moules with the most - not to mention the famous Purbeck Trout Farm smorgasbord, open sandwiches and mackerel pate from The Porthole, Weymouth Seafood's sensational squid and the contemporary street food of Henry the Cockleman.

On the live music stage popular local acts including the area's finest buoy bands like Wareham Whalers and The Captain's Beard sing the songs of the sea, but landlubbers will also be able to get their groove on to the rock, funk, blues and folk sounds of All Funked Up, Chris Payn, Mischa & HIs Merry Men, Jimmy Hillbillies and Mother Ukers.

“Poole is my home town so I know how important fishing and the sea is to its identity,” adds Ben. 

“And it’s great to see the town buzzing again with a thriving marine leisure industry so we want Poole Seafood Festival to be a showcase for Poole at its very best – you can taste the sea in everything we do!”

The festival is free to attend, opening from 10am until 10pm on Friday, 10am until 9pm on Saturday and 11am to 6pm on Sunday.