# List of maritime music festivals

List of maritime music festivals is a sortable incomplete list of regularly occurring festivals, throughout the world, which feature or which usually contain significant performances of maritime music, a style of folk music largely based on the sea shanty. This list may have some overlap with list of folk festivals and list of early music festivals.
Shanties had antecedents in the working chants of British and other national maritime traditions. They were notably influenced by songs of shanty repertoire borrowed from the contemporary popular music enjoyed by sailors, including minstrel music, popular marches, and land-based folk songs. The music has since appeared at early folk festivals, and by the late 1970s, the activities of enthusiasts and scholar-performers at places like the Mystic Seaport Museum (who initiated an annual Sea Music Festival in 1979) and the San Francisco Maritime Museum established sea music—inclusive of shanties, sea songs, and other maritime music—as a genre with its own circuit of festivals, record labels, performance protocol, and so on. Some of the performances may be held at maritime museums, in conjunction with boat shows or maritime festivals, or at other venues friendly to acoustic music.
The performances at festivals can take several forms, as shanty performances today reflect a range of musical approaches and tastes. There are performers who favor a "traditional" style, who often perform work songs a capella or only with light instrumentation typical of sailors (e.g. concertina). A great many of the performers of shanties do so in what might be distinguished as a "folk music" style, often accompanied by guitar and banjo. Still other performers come to shanties from backgrounds in pop, rock, or theatrical music, and perform in what may be called a "contemporary" style. Some shanties are performed in a "classical" choir style (like the Robert Shaw Chorale).

## Related lists and categories

The following lists may have some overlap:
* List of music festivals
* List of folk festivals
* List of early music festivals
* List of Celtic festivals
The following categories are related:
* Category:Music festivals
* Category:Maritime music festivals
* Category:Maritime music
* Category:Folk festivals

## Festivals by location

| Location (country, city) | Time | Festival | Debut year | Associated organization(s) | Link |
| France, Paimpol | | Festival du chant de marin | 1989 | | |
| Germany, Stade | October, 3rd weekend | Stader Shantychor-Festival | | Stade Aktuell GmbH | |
| Netherlands, Giethoorn | September | De Slag op 't Wiede | | | |
| Netherlands, Rotterdam | September, 1st week | International Shanty Festival | | | |
| Norway | June, 1st weekend | Langesund International Shantyfestival | 1991 | | |
| Poland, Kraków | February | International Sea Songs Festival, "Shanties" | 1981 | | |
| Liverpool | October first Weekend | Liverpool Sea Shanty Festival | 2014 | Shanty UK | |
| United Kingdom, Falmouth | June | Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival | | A fundraiser for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution | |
| United Kingdom, Harwich | October, 2nd weekend | Harwich Shanty Festival | | | |
| Ellesmere Port | Easter of each year | Ellesmere Port, Shanty UK, Gathering. | 2011 | Shanty UK | |
| Gloucester, Gloucestershire | 27–29 May 2016 | Gloucester Shanty Festival | 2016 | A fundraiser for the Severn Area Rescue Association providing Lifeboats on the River Severn | |
| United States, San Diego, California | July | Sea Chantey Festival | | Maritime Museum of San Diego | |
| United States, Mystic, Connecticut | June, 2nd week | Annual Sea Music Festival | 1979 | Mystic Seaport | |
| United States, Portsmouth, New Hampshire | September, last weekend in | Portsmouth Maritime Music Festival | 1999–present | Market Square, Portsmouth, NH | |
| United States, Chicago, Illinois | February, 4th week | Chicago History MuseumChicago Maritime Festival | | Chicago History Museum | |
| Canada, Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec | 3rd week of August | Fête des Chants de marins de Saint-Jean-Port-Joli | 1998–present | La COFEC, Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, QC | http://chantsmarins.com/en/ |

## Festivals by date

The following table is a selection of the European event calendar remso.eu - Shanty- festivals with more than 4 performers (groups) only. All reported festival-events up from 3 groups you can find here: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020. Click on date below to watch participants of that event and listen to some of their songs.
| days 1st year | 2017 yy/mm/dd | 2018 yy/mm/dd | 2019 yy/mm/dd | 2020 yy/mm/dd | Festival Organizer | groups audience | Location (country, city) |
| February | | | | | | |
| Fry-Sun | 17/03/03-05 | | 19/02/22-24 | | Deunen & Deinen deunendeinen.nl | 16 | NL-1600 Enkhuizen |
| May | | | | | | |
| 1 May 1999 | | 18/05/01 | 19/05/01 | | Maritimer Frühschoppen Shanty-Chor Eilshausen | 05 | D-32120 Hiddenhausen |
| Chr.Himmelfahrt 1995 | 17/05/25 | 18/05/10 | 19/05/30 | | Friesischer Frühschoppen Shanty-Chor "Die Luttermöwen" | 05 | D-33334 Gütersloh-Isselhorst |
| June | | | | | | |
| Sat, Sun 1993 | 17/06/03-04 1. Juni-WE | 18/06/01-03 | 19/05/30-02 | | Internat. Shanty-Festival-Seelze Shanty-Chor-Lohnde | 10 2'500 | D-30926 Seelze |
| Sun 2000 | | 18/06/03 | 19/06/02 | | Shantychorfestival Shanty-Chor MK Kamen/Bergkamen | 05 | D-59192 Bergkamen |
| July | | | | | | |
| Fry-Sun 2013 | 17/06/30-02 | 18/07/06-08 | 19/07/05-07 | 20/06/26-28 | Shanty-Festival Travemünde Kulturbühne Travemünde gUG | 38 60'000 | D-23570 Lübeck-Travemünde |
| Fry-Sun | 17/06/30-02 | 18/06/29-01 | 19/07/05-07 | | Festival Maritim Tourismus Service Großenbrode | 12 | D-23775 Großenbrode |
| August | | | | | | |
| Fry-Sun 1989 | 17/08/11-13 | no | 19/08/02-04 | no | Festival du chant de marin Association "Festival du chant de marin" | 160 145'000 | F-22500 Paimpol |
| October | | | | | | |
| Sat, Sun | 17/10/14,15 | 18/10/13,14 | 19/10/12,13 | | Stader Shantychor-Festival Stade Marketing und Tourismus GmbH | 17 | D-21680 Stade |

### Outdated

| 2015 mm/dd | 2016 mm/dd | 2017 mm/dd | days 1st year | Festival Organizer | groups audience | Location (country, city) |
| February | | | | | | |
| 15/02/20 | 16/02/26-28 | | Fry-Sun | Deunen & Deinen deunendeinen.nl | 16 | Netherlands, Enkhuizen |
| | 16/02/25-28 | | Thu-Sun 1981 | Intern. Sailors' Songs Festival Krakowska Fundacja .. "HALS" | | Poland, Kraków |
| March | | | | | | |
| 15/04/03 Good Friday | 16/03/26-27-28 easter | | Fry-Mon | Sea Shanty Festival National Waterways Museum, Shanty UK | 06 ? | United Kingdom, Ellesmere Port |
| May | | | | | | |
| 15/05/10 Muttertag | | | Sun | Soltauer Shanty-Festival Soltauer Shantychor e.V. | 05 | Germany, Soltau |
| 15/05/14 Himmelfahrt | 16/05/05 Himmelfahrt | | Thu | Shanty-Festival am Museumshafen Museumshafen Büsum e.V. | 08 | Germany, Büsum |
| 15/05/14 Himmelfahrt | 16/05/05 Himmelfahrt | 17/05/25 Himmelfahrt | Thu 1995 | Friesischer Frühschoppen Shanty Chor "Die Luttermöwen" | 06 2'500 | Germany, Gütersloh Lothar Kache |
| 15/05/25 whitsun | 16/05/16 whitsun | | Mon | Shantyfestival Brummen Shantykoor "De Ijsselboei" | | Netherlands, Brummen |
| 15/05/17 | | | Sun | Landes-Chortreffen "Zwei Küsten - ein Norden" Kurverwaltung Insel Poel | 05 | Germany, Insel Poel |
| 15/05/22 | | | Fry-Sun | Gloucester Shanty Festival gloucestershantyfestival.co.uk/ | 28 | United Kingdom, Gloucester |
| 15/05/30 | 16/05/28 | | Sat | Shantyfestival Winschoten Shantykoor Maritiem Winschoten | 11 | Netherlands, Winschoten |
| 15/05/30 | | | Sat | Regge Coast Shanty Festival Shantykoor "Die Regghe Sangers" | 10 | Netherlands, Hellendoorn |
| June | | | | | | |
| 15/06/05 | 16/06/03 | | Fry-Sun | Langesund Intern. Shanty Festival Langesund Mandssangforening | 14 | Norway, Langesund |
| 15/06/06 1. Juni-WE | 16/06/04-05 1. Juni-WE | 17/06/03 1. Juni-WE | Sat, Sun 1993 | Shanty-Festival-Seelze Shanty-Chor-Lohnde | 10 2'500 | Germany, Seelze Rolf Zikowsky |
| 15/06/06-07 1. Juni-WE | 16/06/03-05 1. Juni-WE | | Fry-Sun 1980 | Shantys zum Vegesacker Hafenfest Vegesacker Hafenfest e.V. | 04 | Germany, Bremen |
| 15/06/12 | | | Fry-Sun | Bravour Shantyfestival / Havendagen Zeemanskoor Bravour | 07 | Netherlands, Woerden |
| 15/06/12-14 | 16/06/17-19 | | Fry-Sun | Falmouth Intern. Sea Shanty Festival falmouthseashanty.co.uk | 53 25'000 | United Kingdom, Falmouth |
| 15/06/12 2.Fry Jun | 16/06/10 2.Fry Jun | | Fry-Sun | Dahmer Shantychortreffen Kurbetrieb Ostseebad Dahme | 13 | Germany, Dahme |
| 15/06/14 2.Sun Jun | 16/06/19 3.Sun Jun | | Sun 2012 | Tag der Shanty-Chöre Verkehrsverein Rheingrafenstein e.V. | 05 | Germany, Bad Münster am Stein-Ebernburg |
| 15/06/19 | | | Sat, Sun | Rosses Point Shanty Festival rossespointshanty.com/ | 22 | Ireland, Rosses Point |
| 15/06/20 3.Sat Jun | 16/06/18-19 3.Sat Jun | | Sat, Sun | Tag der Shantychöre Nordseeheilbad Cuxhaven GmbH | 16 | Germany, Cuxhaven |
| no | 16/06/25 every 4. year | | Sat | Shantyfestival Maritiem Shantykoor de Admiraliteitssjongers | ? | Netherlands, Dokkum |
| 15/06/26 4.Fry Jun | 16/06/24 4.Fry Jun | | Fry-Sun | Shanty-Festival Travemünde Kulturbühne Travemünde gUG | 40 | Germany, Travemünde |
| 15/06/28 | | | Sun | Scholtenhagen-Festival Lionsclub Haaksbergen | 12 | Netherlands, Haaksbergen |
| July | | | | | | |
| 15/07/11 2.Sat Jul | 16/07/09 2.Sat Jul | | Sat, Sun 2007 | Shanty-Festival Carolinensiel Shanty-Chor-Carolinensiel | 07 1'200 | Germany, Wittmund Gerhard Sander |
| 15/07/12 2.Sun July | 16/07/10 2.Sun July | 17/07/09 2.Sun July | Sun | Festival der Shanty-Chöre Steinhude Wunstorfer Shanty-Chor | 06 | Germany, Wunstorf |
| 15/07/12 | | | Sun | Shanty-Festival Hude Shanty-Chor Hude | 05 | Germany, Hude |
| 15/07/18 every 2 years | no | | Sat, Sun | Shanty-Festival des Altländer SC Altländer Shanty-Chor e.V. | 12 | Germany, Grünendeich |
| 15/07/19 | | | Sun | Shantychortreffen Shantychor "Reriker Heulbojen" e.V. | 06 | Germany, Rerik |
| 15/07/24 | | | Fry, Sat | Shantys und Me(h)erDie Warnemünder Jungs ? | 10 | Germany, Rostock-Warnemünde |
| 15/07/24 | | | Fry-Sun | Shantykor Festival caroline-s.dk | 08 | Denmark, Svendborg |
| 15/07/31-02 1.Sat Aug | 16/08/05-07 1.Sat Aug | | Fry-Sun | Festival Maritim Vegesack Marketing e.V. | 14 100'000 | Germany, Bremen |
| August | | | | | | |
| 15/08/02 | 16/08/07 | | Sun 2015 | Shanty-Festival auf dem Fischerfest Rheinisches Fischerfest Gernsh.GmbH | 07 | Germany, Gernsheim |
| 15/08/08 2.Sat Aug | 15/08/13 2.Sat Aug | | Sat 2013 | Shanty-Chortreffen der Seeteufel Musikverein "Seeteufel" Halle e.V. | 04 500 | Germany, Seegebiet Mansfelder Land Annelore Schöllner |
| 15/08/09 | | | Sun 2011 | Shanty-Open Air Shantychor Geeste e.V. | 08 | Germany, Geeste |
| 15/08/12 | | | Wed-Sun | Melodien der Meere (Sail Bremerhaven) Stadt Bremerhaven | 31 | Germany, Bremerhaven |
| 15/08/14 | no | ? | Fry-Sun 1989 | Festival du chant de marin Assoc. "Festival du chant de marin" | 160 145'000 | France, Paimpol Julie Aoura |
| 15/08/16 | | | Sun | Inselfest Steyerberg Shantychor Nendorf | 05 | Germany, Steyerberg |
| 15/08/28 | 16/08/26-28 | | Fry-Sun | Intern. Shantyfestival 'Bie Daip' Stichting Bie Daip | 34 | Netherlands, Appingedam |
| 15/08/28-29 | 16/08/26-28 | | Fry, Sat | Shanty- und Seemannschor - Festival Shanty-Chor Insel Usedom e.V. | 06 | Germany, Usedom |
| 15/08/29 | | | Sat | Shantyfestival in Stadskanaal Shantykoor De Noszélie Singers | 10 | Netherlands, Stadskanaal |
| 15/08/13-16 | 16/08/17-21 | 17/08/16-20 | Wed-Sun 1998 | Festival du Chant de marins Saint-Jean-Port-Joli | 10 15000 | Canada, Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, QC |
| September | | | | | | |
| 15/09/04 | | | Fry-Sun | Internationaal Shantyfestival Stichting Shantyfestival Rotterdam | 23 | Netherlands, Rotterdam |
| 15/09/04 | | | Fry-Sun | Vliegende Hollander Festival Stichting Shantyfestival Zeeuws Vlaanderen | 15 | Netherlands, Terneuzen |
| 15/09/05 | | | Sat, Sun | Shantyfestival | 11 | Netherlands, Delfzijl |
| 15/09/11-13 | | | Fry-Sun | Treffen der Shantychöre | 07 | Germany, Zingst am Darß |
| 15/09/12 | | | Sat | Shantyfestival te Leeuwarden Leeuwarder Shantykoor | 05 | Netherlands, Leeuwarden |
| 15/09/13 | | | Sun | Shanty & Seasong Festival Havenkoor Fortitudo | 12 | Netherlands, Willemstad |
| 15/09/13 | | | Sun | Intern. Shanty and Seasong festival Stichting Shanty Cultuur Emmen | 07 | Netherlands, Emmen |
| October | | | | | | |
| 15/10/03-04 | | | | Liverpool Sea Shanty Festival shanty.org.uk | | United Kingdom, Liverpool |
| 15/10/03 | | | Sat | Shantyfestival Norddeich Norddeicher Shantychor 2000 e.V. | 05 | Germany, Norden |
| 15/10/03 | | | Sat | ShantyFestival Spijkenisse shantyfestivalspijkenisse.nl/ | 10 | Netherlands, Spijkenisse |
| 15/10/09 | | | Sat, Sun | Harwich Intern. Sea Shanty Festival The Harwich Intern. Shanty Festival | 17 | United Kingdom, Harwich |
| 15/10/17-18 3.WE Oct | 16/10/15-16 3.WE Oct | 17/10/14? 3.WE Oct | Sat, Sun 1994 | Stader Shantychor-Festival Stade Aktuell GmbH | 17 | Germany, Stade Manfred Höftmann |

## Gallery

* Symphony Nova Scotia performs at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
* Portsoy Boat Festival
* Fête de la mer à Boulogne-sur-Mer, 2013
* Festival du chant de marin 2009
* Festival du chant de marin 2009
* Festival du chant de marin 2009
* Festival du chant de marin 2009
* Festival du chant de marin. Paimpol 2009
* Festival du chant de marin. Paimpol 2009
* Festival du chant de marin 2009
* Fée de l'Aune Paimpol 2013
* Fête de la mer (Boulogne, 2013)