All aboard for four days of Tall Ships Regatta fun

A magnificent fleet of Tall Ships are docked at the quayside for the county’s biggest ever free event.

The Regatta is open from 10am to 10pm, Friday to Sunday, and 10am to 5pm on Monday.

It features one-and-a-half miles of fabulous free entertainment, split into five zones.

Thanks to a £120,000 grant from Arts Council England, the event has an extensive cultural programme involving partners, individuals and community groups, including Blyth-based Headway Arts, with Let’s Circus and creative producers, Culture Creative.

The cultural programme includes the reanimation of Blyth Carnival which will follow the crew parade on Saturday and has involved many local individuals and community groups.

The nightly fireworkds on Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be accompanied by a film and musical score created by Swedish artist Cecilia Stenbom and UK composer Chris Sharkey, who have worked with local people from Blyth and Gothenburg to produce this stunning experience.

The bait project has also enabled the commissioning of Chris Sharkey to work with people from south east Northumberland to create the Regatta Sessions, a new musical performance, which can be seen on Sunday.

On Monday, a musical score in two parts, Farewell and Welcome, by Chris Sharkey will say farewell to the ships as the Regatta begins and the second part of the score will welcome the ships as they arrive in Gothenburg.

The musical score celebrates the partnership between two countries and two places – Blyth and Gothenburg.

Here’s a day-by-day guide to some of the events and music to look out for. Follow our live blog of all the action at www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/live/event?2291187Friday, August 26

Beach: All day fun fair, Blyth Battery, sand sculptures, canoeing, paint balling. Noon, North Star, Shindiggers; 1.30pm, Shaw; 2.30pm, Bad Apples; 3.30pm, Anth Purdy.

Bandstand: All day fun fair, pony rides, catering, gin and prosecco bar, deckchairs. Noon, Vieux Carre Jazzmen; 1pm, Djembe Collective; 2pm, Vieux Carre Jazzmen; 3pm, Diembe Collective.

Quayside and Port: All day fun fair, observation ride, food and drink, Best of Blyth with Blyth Enterprise Trust, RAF displays, Sea Cadets. Fireworks at 9pm.

Dun Cow Stage: Noon, Richard Grainger; 1pm, Northern Company; 2pm, Channy Thompson; 3pm, Applewig Song Book; 4pm, Outlander; 5pm, The Caffreys; 6pm, Nick Pride Trio; 7pm Spiral Kings; 8pm and 9.30pm, The Salts.

Ridley Park: Northumberland Village, visitor attractions and food village, fun fair, children’s play area and water park.

Market Place: All day fun fair, Best of Blyth with Blyth Development Trust.

Street theatre: Bell & Bullock; Captain Jack Sparrow; Giant Seagulls; Lobster a la Cart; Cod Choir; Mermaids; Teaclub; sand sculpture artists; Boom Bike.

Saturday, August 27

Beach: All day fun fair, Blyth Battery, sand sculptures, canoeing, paint balling. Noon, Axum; 1.30pm, The Lady Sings; 3pm, Marshall Academy of Irish Dance.

Bandstand: All day fun fair, pony rides, catering, gin and prosecco bar, deckchairs. Noon, Reg Vardy Band; 2pm, Heaton Voices Community Choir; 4.30pm, Rock Choir North East.

Quayside and Port: All day fun fair, observation ride, food and drink, Best of Blyth with Blyth Enterprise Trust. Fireworks at 9pm.

Dun Cow Stage: Noon, Sing Morpeth Community Choir; 1pm, Marshall Academy of Irish Dance; 2pm, Tyne Valley Big Band; 3pm-5pm, Crew and Community Parade – ships crews and Headway Arts, followed by crew prize-giving; 6pm, Jinski; 7pm, Gatecrashers; 8pm and 9.30pm, Baldy Holly Band.

Ridley Park: Northumberland Village, visitor attractions and food village, fun fair, children’s play area and water park. Noon & 3pm, Let’s Circus opens; 12.10pm & 3.10pm, The Brothers Swag; 12.45pm & 3.45pm, Senor Bullzini; 1.10pm & 4.10pm, Tumble Circus.

Market Place: All day fun fair, Best of Blyth with Blyth Development Trust.

Street theatre: Captain jack Sparrow; Giant Seagulls; Lobster a la Cart; Cod Choir; Mermaids; The Timid Vikings of Reknaestuff; Teaclub; sand sculpture artists; Boom Bike and Band.

Sunday, August 28

Beach: All day fun fair, Blyth Battery, sand sculptures, canoeing, paint balling. Noon, Cherry Pickers; 1pm, Burundanga; 2pm, Werca’s Folk; 3pm, Duchess’s Community High School Scandi Band; 4pm, Seaside Strummers.

Bandstand: All day fun fair, pony rides, catering, gin and prosecco bar, deckchairs. 1pm, Basement Brass; 2pm, Wansbeck Voices; 4pm, Backworth Colliery Band.

Quayside and Port: All day fun fair, observation ride, food and drink, Best of Blyth with Blyth Enterprise Trust. Fireworks at 9pm.

Dun Cow Stage: Noon, VoiceMale Choir; 1pm, The Odd Bunch; 2pm, SOLUTIONS; 3pm, Hear and Now – Captain Pugwash; 4pm, Mississippi Dreambosts; 5pm, Regatta Sessions; 6pm, James Hedley; 7pm, Regatta Sessions; 8pm and 9.30pm, Sleeze Sisters.

Ridley Park: Northumberland Village, visitor attractions and food village, fun fair, children’s play area and water park. Noon & 3pm, Let’s Circus opens; 12.10pm & 3.10pm, Witty Look; 12.50pm & 3.50pm, Senor Bullzini; 1.10pm & 4.10pm, Head First Acrobats.

Market Place: All day fun fair, Best of Blyth with Blyth Development Trust.

Street theatre: Bell & Bullock; Captain Jack Sparrow; Giant Seagulls; Lobster a la Cart; Cod Choir; Punch and Judy; Maritime Tea Ladies; Mermaids; The Timid Vikings of Reknaestuff; Teaclub; sand sculpture artists; Boom Bike and Band.

Monday, August 29

Beach: All day fun fair, Blyth Battery, sand sculptures, canoeing, paint balling.

Bandstand: All day fun fair, pony rides, catering, gin and prosecco bar, deckchairs. Noon, Easington Colliery Band; 2pm, Fishburn Band.

Quayside and Port: All day fun fair, observation ride, food and drink, Best of Blyth with Blyth Enterprise Trust. 12.45pm, Ships unlock; 2pm, Parade of Sail, south to St Mary’s Lighthouse.

Dun Cow Stage: Noon, Klassix Local; 3pm, The Shake Down Band; 2pm, Last Spectacular.

Ridley Park: Northumberland Village, visitor attractions and food village, fun fair, children’s play area and water park.

Market Place: All day fun fair, Best of Blyth with Blyth Development Trust.

Street theatre: Bell & Bullock; Captain Jack Sparrow; Giant Seagulls; Lobster a la Cart; Cod Choir; Punch and Judy; Maritime Tea Ladies; Mermaids; Teacups; sand sculpture artists; Boom Bike.