Countdown to the Great Yarmouth Maritime Festival 2010

The Great Yarmouth Maritime Festival bursts onto South Quay on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 September and will be even longer than ever before, this year stretching from South Quay to Stonecutters Quay to encompass BBC One’s Bang Goes the Theory Roadshow. There will be a strong offshore theme at this year’s festival, celebrating the continuing importance of the sea to the Borough. Stands in a special new marquee run by a number of Maritime Festival sponsors will give visitors a fascinating insight into the work of a modern day off-shore vessel, with several supply and offshore boats scheduled to be in port for visitors to go aboard, subject to industrial commitments.

Visitors to the festival will be able to set sail in two different vessels on Saturday and Sunday. Great Yarmouth is welcoming home the MV Coronia to this year’s Maritime Festival where she will be offering visitors the chance to sail out of the river port and into the outer harbour from Thursday to Monday at 11am, 1pm, 3pm and 5pm. Moored on the other side of Haven Bridge next to the BBC Bang goes the Theory Roadshow, the 1920’s pleasure cruiser the Southern Belle will be operating river trips from Stonecutter's Quay around the river port on Saturday at 10.40am, 1.25pm and 3.10pm and on Sunday at 10.40am, 1.13pm and 3.35pm. Tickets are available to buy on board.  

Visitors to the festival can also go aboard the three-masted Russian replica frigate, the Shtandart. This elegant tall ship is a replica of the first flagship built for Peter the Great in 1703 and will be moored opposite the main stage.  Further up the quay near the Town Hall, Great Yarmouth's very own Lydia Eva will be open for visitors to come aboard and experience the very latest in 1930’s steam drifter technology.  

As well as demonstrations of maritime crafts such as net mending and ship building, maritime related arts and crafts, local herring and kippers, local beer and some of the finest shanty singers on three different stages, the BBC Bang Goes The Theory Roadshow which will be putting on a number of science performances from 12pm on both days, inviting visitors to get their hands on water-related science.  The Bang Goes the Theory Roadshow features a huge interactive area for visitors to explore and a large performance area where hands-on science experiments will be demonstrated by the TV presenters.

In addition to the excitement of having the four coolest BBC science presenters on site, there will be plenty of other fun, free activities for children and families, demonstrations and exhibitions to look at including cookery demonstrations from top local chefs from Café Cru and The Swan at Ingham as well as walkabout performers, including The Giant Seagulls, displays from the East Norfolk Militia and other street theatre artists as well as appearances by Admiral Lord Nelson and Lady Emma.

The Greater Yarmouth Tourist Authority’s Maritime Festival committee have also launched a new Maritime Festival website. The site, which can be found at www.maritime-festival.co.uk contains all sorts of information about the festival weekend.