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Newlyn Fish Festival to Refresh and Relaunch in 2019

Newlyn Fish Festival to Refresh and Relaunch in 2019

The organisers of Newlyn Fish Festival have announced the introduction of a fallow year in 2018 to enable them to develop the popular annual fundraiser for the Fishermen’s Mission into an even more dynamic celebration of the sea, Cornish seafood and Cornwall’s proud fishing heritage in 2019.

The Newlyn Pier & Harbour Commissioners (NP&HC), led by Harbour Master and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Rob Parsons, are currently working hard to transform Newlyn Harbour into a modern, fit-for-purpose port that supports the development and sustainability of the Cornish fishing industry, and will launch its revitalised Fish Market later this year.

This investment in new infrastructure will provide the Newlyn Fish Festival – which has been staged annually for 26 years – with more space, improved facilities and enhanced insight into the Cornish fishing industry for the thousands of visitors who pour into the historic harbour to enjoy this action-packed, one-day event on August Bank Holiday Monday each year.

“Although we did not take the decision lightly to devote this year to revitalising the Festival for 2019 to dovetail with the exciting new developments at Newlyn Harbour, we are sure it is the right decision and will be of great benefit to those who take part and join us for this uniquely Cornish celebration,” explains Chairman of Newlyn Fish Festival Ltd and Harbour Commissioner, Kevin Bennetts. “I am immensely proud to witness the many positive changes that are taking place at Newlyn Harbour, which will make a positive difference to the livelihoods of our hardworking Cornish fishermen, who go out to sea in all weathers to catch and land the best fish in the world. We plan to reconfigure the Newlyn Fish Festival to reflect this transformation and will return with an event that is even bigger and better in 2019.”

The planning process is already underway for 2019 with lots of exciting new ideas being developed by Newlyn Fish Festival Ltd’s Board of volunteer Directors.

“We are delighted that the Festival has raised £250,000 for the Fishermen’s Mission to date and to reaffirm our ongoing commitment to the charity during 2018,” adds Kevin Bennetts. “Newlyn Fish Festival Ltd finances and helps to maintain the harbourside meeting place for migrant and retired fishermen – The Man Shed – to which we have recently donated £10,000.”

“We fully support this decision by Newlyn Fish Festival Ltd and look forward to working in conjunction with them to revamp this event, which raises much-needed awareness of the Cornish fishing fleet and funds for the Fishermen’s Mission,” adds Newlyn Harbour Master and CEO, Rob Parsons.

Two quintessential Newlyn Fish Festival traditions will be observed in 2018, however, during the evening of Sunday 26 August.

The Board of Newlyn Fish Festival Ltd and staff from the Fishermen’s Mission will gather at Newlyn Green to lay a wreath of remembrance at the Fishermen’s Memorial and read out the names of the many Cornish fishermen who have been lost at sea since 1945.

Following a traditional Blessing of the Fleet and remembrance service, there will be the usual Last Night of the Proms-style celebration of Cornish songs at The Newlyn Centre complete with pasty supper. For further information and tickets, visit www.newlynfishfestival.org.uk