Staithes Festival of Arts and Heritage

Staithes Festival has established itself as one of the friendliest festival on the coast – a must-see event in the regional arts calendar.

During the weekend the doors of cottages in the village are thrown open as pop-up art galleries in a unique selling exhibition. 

The heritage of Staithes is celebrated through a programme of walks, talks, historic photographs, film shows, and a demonstration of how to make a lobster pot!

North York Moors, Scarborough Borough Council and Welcome to Yorkshire
Artists

Glenn Kilpatrick www.whitby-photography.com

Visiting the Festival

Gallery Opening Times

Open Evening: Friday 7pm-8.30pm

Saturday and Sunday: Galleries open 10am-5.30pm

The light show begins after dark and runs until late. 

Parking at the top of the village: 

There is no parking at the bottom in the old village. Please use the car parks at the top of the village as directed by our car park stewards. There are two main car parks at the top: the public car park and the Staithes Athletics Club car park. Please be considerate of local residents and avoid parking in the street and on verges. Parking charges apply including blue badge holders. 

Parking at the top of Cowbar: 

We have secured a large amount of additional parking at Cowbar. Take the Cowbar exit on the A174 opposite the Boulby Mine and follow the signs. Stewards will direct you where to park. Please do not park on the grass verges. Parking charges apply including blue badge holders. Once you have parked your car you can walk down the path to the old village. 

Free Taxi Shuttle: 

The free taxi is to enable any one with mobility difficulties to get up and down from the old village. It will operate 10:00-17:30 Saturday and Sunday and between 20:00 and 21:00 Friday and Saturday evening. The free taxi will pick up and drop off at the following points: Athletic Club and War Memorial at the top of the village and Chapel Yard, High Street at the bottom of the village. There will be no taxi shuttle from Cowbar car park 

Toilets:

There are public toilets on the upper car park beside the Gateway Centre and in the old village beside the Sea Drift café on the sea front and portaloos on Cowbar near the Lifeboat Station. We hope to position additional portals  by the Lifeboat Station. 

Festival Office & First Aid

The Festival Office (the gazebo) will be located outside the Staithes Gallery. Programmes are available here for £2. The programme contains information about all the exhibition artists and the programme of talks, walks and workshops.

Treasurers Office:

To be confirmed.  This is for card transactions and for commission payments by artists.

Galleries and Maps:

There are some 85 numbered galleries listed in the programme. Two maps cover the top and bottom of the village. Gallery numbers, businesses and useful locations are markeed on the map.

Food and Drink:

Food and drink is available in all the pubs: the Cod and Lobster; the Royal George; the Captain Cook Inn at the top of the village and the Fox and Hounds at Dalehouse. Full meals will be available at the Endeavour. Lighter meals and cakes can be taken at Dotty About Vintage, the Seadrift Cafe and at the top of the village, the Tea Room and fish and chip shop. Please support these businesses, they are the lifeblood of the village. To supplement these you will find an intriguing collection of pop-up tea rooms and cafes. 

Buying Artwork:

The nearest cash point is at the Co-op on Whitby Road. Debit/credit card users may, with the agreement of the artist, pay for purchases using payment cards which are processed via the Treasurers Office.

Access:

The age and nature of the old village mean that Staithes has limited access. The High Street is cobbled and many of the cottages have narrow doorways and steps. The seafront (the Staithe) and over the bridge on Cowbar (Northside) is flat and even. There are a small number of parking bays in the High Street and if they are available,  blue badge holders are permitted to park in the old village. Please be aware there is no through road in the old village. The High Street is  narrow and congested especially during the day time. During the festival weekend we run a free and constant taxi service from the public car park at the top, down the hill to the old village and back.

Liability

The Staithes Festival of Arts and Heritage cannot accept responsibility for any loss, damage or injury sustained by any member of the public visiting any artist’s gallery, studio, workshop, exhibition, event or walk. Members of the public participate in Staithes Festival of Arts and Heritage entirely at their own risk.

We won't charge you to get in, but we may charge you to get out! Please donate generously into our collecting boxes as you leave the festival.