Seafood and Sounds in Poole to return next weekend

The free to attend event features seafood dishes from participating restaurants, pubs as well as music on five stages with 40 performances, a seafood parade and food market. 

Kicking it all off on September 14 at 11am will be a seafood themed parade open to all to dive in and take part.  

Starting at The Slug and Lettuce and finishing on Poole Quay, theme fancy dress is encouraged with prizes for the best decorated fish on a stick’ and best seafood mask.  

Fifteen musical acts, from violinists to folk singers and shanty bands to duets, will perform non-stop acoustic music from 11.30am until 4pm daily. 

Pubs The Angel, The Customs House, Drift Bar, Harry Paye, Hotel Du Vin & Bistro, The Lord Nelson, The Poole Arms, and Riptide Espresso & Records will all have their own music in the evenings. 

Meanwhile, freshly prepared seafood specials including chowders, pizzas, seafood platters and fish pies will be served at participating pubs and restaurants.  

A daily fish, local produce and gift market will be open each day from 11am to 5pm, featuring fish, shellfish and craft stalls in La Mia’s. 

The popular seafood and sounds oyster trail returns for 2024 offering a free to enter competition across the weekend.  

Participants follow the trail to find oyster shells hanging in the window. Each shell depicts a letter and when they are all collected and rearranged will create a fishy phrase.  

This year’s official Seafood and Sounds charity is the RNLI, who celebrate their 200th anniversary this year.  

A grand raffle is being organised to raise money, with 20 per cent going to the charity and the remainder of the funds for the 2025 Seafood and Sounds event. 

Dolphin shopping centre’s manager John Grinnell, the sponsor, said: “I attended the inaugural event last year and saw the incredible atmosphere that was created by this community event. 

“The Dolphin is at the heart of Poole town centre, and we are delighted to offer our support to an event such as this which showcases our amazing town and its historic seafood heritage.” 

The event is organised by five Poole Quay business owners who have joined forces for this celebration of the sea and its harvest. 

This includes Jeanette Walsh of Truly Scrumptious, Michelle Smith of The Poole Arms, Helen Bull of City Cruises, Nikki Robinson of Customs House and Severine Seweryn of St Tropez.