Gold at the Cornwall Tourism Awards 2026!

We’re delighted to share that the Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival has won Gold for Tourism Event/Festival of the Year at the Cornwall Tourism Awards 2026. The award was presented at the ceremony on Thursday 12 November, celebrating the very best of Cornwall’s visitor economy.

Each June, the festival fills Falmouth’s pubs, quaysides and streets with songs of the sea, welcoming shanty groups and audiences alike to the town. It’s delivered every year by a passionate and dedicated committee, whose hard work makes an event of this scale possible.

A huge thank you to everyone who shares in this success: the shanty groups who travel to be here, our generous sponsors, the venues and businesses who open their doors, and every one of you who sings along. The Sea Shanty Festival belongs to the whole town, and this recognition belongs to Falmouth too.

There was a further surprise on the night, as Hayley Nicholson, Marketing & Events Officer at Falmouth Town Team, received an award in the Unsung Hero category for her hard work and dedication to the festival.

Richard Gates, Chair of the Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival committee, said: “To win Gold is a wonderful moment for everyone involved in the festival. Our committee works tirelessly all year to bring it together, and it simply wouldn’t happen without the shanty groups, sponsors, venues and audiences who support us. We’re also thrilled for Hayley, whose Unsung Hero award is richly deserved. This is a win for the whole of Falmouth.”

And the celebrations may not end there! We’ve also been shortlisted for Best Visitor Experience at the Access All Areas Awards 2026, with our entry Falmouth: Where the town becomes the venue. Winners will be announced on 8 December, so keep your fingers crossed for us.