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Festivals in Greater Yarmouth

The Greater Yarmouth area is home to a number of festivals throughout the year.

The Great Yarmouth Beer and Cider Festival gets the year off to a flying start in May when our three local breweries are joined by a raft of other ale and cider producers from the area in the Priory Centre for a weekend of sampling the area's finest hops.

NEW for 2010 is the Great Yarmouth Dance festival at the start of July featuring the best in modern, Latin and social sequence dancing.

On Sunday 1 August the cliff tops in Gorleston-on-Sea host the Gorleston Cliff Top Festival when music, dancing, family fun and sporting activities provide three days of fun entertainment for all the family.

In August the Festival of Bowls comes to Great Yarmouth Britannia Bowling Greens for four weeks during which time more than 1700 bowlers compete to win bowling prizes. The competitions draw huge crowds of spectators to the greens on the seafront to watch the action.

August also sees Lifeboat Fête Day at Caister Lifeboat Station and the HIRS Lifeboat Day in Hemsby.

On the last Sunday in August the Longshore Herring Festival in Hemsby celebrates the area's important fishing traditions and heritage with live music, a parade and barbecued herrings to eat on the beach.

Great Yarmouth saves the biggest festivals until September. The Great Yarmouth Maritime Festival launches onto South Quay for a weekend at the start of September. Traditional tall ships, expedition vessels, steam drifters and lifeboats all moor up, for visitors to have a look at. Newfoundland dogs frequently put on life-saving displays in conjunction with the local lifeboat crews. Meanwhile onshore, displays of maritime related crafts, artwork and heritage are on view with shanty music, beer, Hemsby herrings, bloaters and other delicious food to enjoy. Children's activities and Norfolk Militia displays, brass band performances and folk music ensure there's entertainment all day long.

Finally the Out There International Street Arts and Circus Festival bursts onto the streets on the third weekend in Septmeber with a riot of colour, dance, performance and comedy all taking place out in the open on St. George's Park, on the seafront and in the town centre. This two day event has to been to be believed with acts from all over Europe putting on daredevil and incredible outdoor performances.