The Old Leigh Shanty Weekend returns to Leigh-on-Sea on 16 May and 17 May 2026, offering two days of traditional maritime music and community entertainment across the town. Organised by the Lions Club of Leigh-on-Sea in partnership with the Hoy at Anchor Folk Club, the free event features 31 musical acts performing at various venues throughout the area.
The festivities begin with an informal shanty singaround on the evening of 15 May, starting at 7pm at The Crooked Billet pub. Throughout the weekend, performances will take place at several locations, including the main festival stage at Strand Wharf, as well as No 1 Cocklesheds, The Boatyard Restaurant, The Mayflower PH, Ye Old Smack, The Peter Boat, Billet Wharf, and Victoria Wharf.
Local favourites, The Hoy Shanty Crew, will be among the performers featured during the weekend. In addition to the music, the Sealed Knot re-enactment group from the Blew Regiment will maintain a stand on Victoria Wharf, where they will demonstrate historical weapons and equipment.
Volunteers will be collecting charitable donations throughout the event to support the RNLI Southend Lifeboat, the Leigh Endeavour Trust, and other causes championed by the Lions Club. This follows the success of the 2025 festival, which raised £2,500 for the local lifeboat service.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
