Plymouth Seafood Festival set to be a fin-tastic weekend

Freshly caught seafood, mouth-watering dishes and an ocean of fun is what will bring the Barbican and Sutton Harbour alive this weekend (26 and 27 September) as the city celebrates the Plymouth Seafood Festival.

Organised by Plymouth City Council for the Plymouth Waterfront Partnership Business Improvement District and sponsored by Plymouth Gin and Brittany Ferries the festival is a great way for people to enjoy a fantastic range of seafood, local produce and live family entertainment.

Sarah Gibson (nee O’Leary), Waterfront Manager, said: “This event has grown year on year, supporting hundreds of Waterfront businesses by attracting thousands of visitors into the area to enjoy the many cafes, restaurants, pubs and shops in the historic heart of Britain’s Ocean City. The event is supported by many of Plymouth’s best seafood chefs, showcasing the fantastic range of sustainable seafood that’s caught just off the shores of our city and celebrating food on offer throughout the year right across the Waterfront area.”

Celebrity and local chefs, including Mitch Tonks, will be demonstrating how to cook a range of mouth-watering dishes in the Cookery Theatre, sponsored by The Plymouth Kitchen Company, from 10am on both days whilst an array of stalls will line the Quayside Market showcasing the freshly caught seafood Plymouth has to offer, mainly from its own harbour.

Deputy Leader of Plymouth City Council, Pete Smith, said: “The Cookery Theatre provides an excellent opportunity for visitors to gain tips for cooking healthy, tasty meals that are quick and easy to make. The main ingredients are then available to purchase from the range of stalls available, most of which would have been caught that morning - you can’t get much fresher fish than that!”

Visitors to the historical quarter will be able to get hands on with filleting fish, visit the Fish Market on Sutton Harbour’s Heritage Trail or taste the spicy mackerel roll specially created by Rockfish for this event.

Adults to the festival can join Plymouth Gin on a Voyage of Discovery, a new feature introduced by the brand for the event. Drop anchor at stands 16 and 17 (located on The Parade) and pick up your Plymouth Gin passport.

The passport will act as your guide as you go on a journey to discover the fascinating heritage of Plymouth Gin. The information in the passport will help you on your journey to collect stamps that will earn you and a friend a complimentary tour of the Black Friars distillery.

Children will also be able to get involved with taking part in the Little Nippers Crabbing Contest. Check in at the Boathouse Cafe along the Barbican Wharves at 1pm on Sunday to grab the crabbing equipment. Prizes will be awarded later in the day for the person with the heaviest weighing crab. Charges apply.

Local fisherman Ben Squire and Sid the Squid will be at The Parade on Sunday for those wanting to learn more about the sustainable fishing methods used by fisherman today.

For more information about the Plymouth Seafood Festival and for a timetable of the Cookery Theatre go to visitplymouth.co.uk.