Staithes Festival of Arts and Heritage

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

This year it's 15-17 September 2023.

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
Lobster

Glenn Kilpatrick www.whitby-photography.com

What's On

We hope you find a weekend of events to interest, inspire and entertain you. 

Advance booking for all ticketed events is recommended. Those marked below with an A MUST be booked in advance.

Buy all tickets here

All music is free unless otherwise stated, but we do pass round a collecting bucket for your contributions. We're fundraising so we can run the festival again next year.

Open All Weekend

A Staithes Life: an exhibition of the work of leading professional post-war photo-journalist John Tindale - photography, culture and tall-stories.

Upstairs at St Peter’s 10am - 5pm Exhibition

PLUS

Search the Gazette for Staithes - Come and search our touch-screen for 100 years of history and news from Staithes' local paper, the Whitby Gazette. No need to book. Courtesy of David Tindale and Whitby Museum.

Staithes Museum, Saturday and Sunday 10am - 4pm Exhibition

Willie Wright’s Collection

The Wright family present a rare opportunity to view much-missed fisherman Willie Wright's private collection of historic Staithes postcards, unseen photographs and model boats. A must-see exhibition for anyone interested in the history and heritage of the village.

The Nook, High Street Saturday and Sunday 10am-5pm Exhibition

Kinetic Art

Discover how Engineering + Science = Art with engineer Dave Whitlock at his factory Cleveland Corrosion.

Gallery 59 10am-4pm Exhibition

Staithes Family History Group 

Track your Staithes relatives through our genealogy experts who have family records going back 500 years. 

Staithes Museum 11-4pm.

Spin Art

Delighted to see the Spin Art team back again offering paints and canvasses for you to create your own art. Great for kids. Find them just off the High Street before you get to the Cod & Lobster

Singing Waters Yard 10am-5pm Drop-in

Laura Knight and Aunt West

One of the most prominent members of the Staithes Group of Artists, Laura Knight revisits the village 125 years on…

Perambulation around the village

Coble and Keelboat Society

Fishermen, authors, poets, artists, model-makers and maritime historians have for 30 years been researching and preserving the history of the Coble Coast – from the River Tweed to the Humber. Find out more, and meet esteemed author Gloria Wilson, who grew up in Staithes, with her recently published book Staithes: A Place Apart.

Gallery 55, Lifeboat Cottage 11am-4pm Exhibition

Buskers

Get into the mood with our talented buskers at various locations throughout the village! Music

Staithes in a New Light

The spotlights turn on to Cowbar and Penny Nab[, illuminating them with towers of light. Walk through an arc of light on the bridge over the beck, promenade beneath our light festoons along the staith. An inspired, glowing, sparkling installation of light throughout the village by creative lighting technicians BH Sound & Lighting

Around the village, Friday, Saturday and Sunday Dusk until Midnight

Friday 15 September

Dancing in the Street with Dire Staithes

Staithes’ own rock band launch the ninth Arts and Heritage Festival. Expect a high-octane concert of classic rock and blues including the Beatles, Stones, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton and Peter Green.

Outside Staithes Gallery, High Street £donations 6.30pm-7.30pm Music

Preview Night

Some galleries open their doors for a sneak preview of the delights to come. The perfect opportunity if you're in the village already to meet the artists, get a taster of their work, and maybe even a glass of something…

Around the village (not all galleries) 7pm-8.30pm Viewing

Outdoor Cinema at Kipper’s Corner by Staithes Cinema Club

Our very own Cinema Paradiso, the legendary outdoor cinema is back. As the sun sets, gather on the High Street (outside Staithes Gallery) bring your deck chairs and blankets, for a screening of films about Staithes past and present, telling the story of our remarkable village. Also on Saturday.

Kipper’s Corner, £ Donations 9pm Event

Saturday 16 September

Staithes: A Life Story. Readings by Andy Blackford

Grant McKee, was one of the founders of the festival with a deep interest in the heritage of Staithes. He died in 2019 before this book could be completed. Now published posthumously by his wife Jill, his wide-ranging narrative covers the Romans and the Vikings, the rise of the fishing industry and its devastating fall. The book takes us into the pubs, along the beck and joyously along a coastline rich in fossils, bird and sea life. Readings and discussion by Grant’s good friend Andy Blackford and his wife Jill Turton. Books will be on sale at the event.

Upstairs at St Peter’s £4 10.30am-11.30am Talk

Artist Ian Burke’s Workshop: making and printing a flicker book

A rare chance to learn from the former art master at Eton College

· Make a flicker book with relief print using tabletop equipment.

· Make a sequential image with relief block (printing a flicker book)

No drawing experience required. Safety when using carving tools. Learning how to transfer an image and gradually build it up with a sequence. Pre-booking required.

Smugglers above Staithes Gallery 12, £15 per person (inc. materials) A 11am-1pm. 15 spaces only. Workshop

Dark Matter by Christopher Toth

Chris Toth from the Boulby Underground Laboratory is back and ready to illuminate the mysterious world of the ever-elusive Dark Matter. He’ll report on the experiments conducted 1.1km beneath our feet in a light-hearted physics lecture for all ages; no prior physics knowledge required!

Upstairs at St Peter’s £4 11.45am-12.45pm Talk

Lobster Pots and Fisherman’s Tales

John Cole from one of Staithes’ oldest families, who has fished here for much of his life, will be ashore over the weekend to demonstrate how he makes his lobster pots, sharing stories of a lifetime at sea.

Garden at St Peter’s, £donations in aid of the Great North Air Ambulance @12-4pm Demonstration/Talk

Peter Appleton: A Forgotten Industry - The Alum Shale Industry of North East Yorkshire.

Alum was used to fix the dye in coloured fabrics. It had been sourced from Italy in an industry tightly controlled by the Pope but after his divorce and fallout with the Catholic Church, Henry VIII needed another source of alum, which is how this unlikely corner of the northeast coast stepped in….

Upstairs at St Peter’s £4 1pm-2pm Talk

Fylingdales Folk Choir

For the first time, this in-demand 30-strong choir are welcomed to the Festival. Their wide repertoire includes gospel, contemporary folk, self-penned and traditional songs from Britain and beyond, all in glorious 4-part harmony.

RNLI station, £donations 1.30pm-2pm Music

Another performance at 3.40-4pm.

Artist Sue Nichol’s Painting Demo

A drop-in session in which Sue demonstrates how she creates her bold and colourful paintings inspired by the Yorkshire coast and its famous sailing cobles.

Gallery 42, Laura Knight Studio, £free 1.30-2.30pm Demonstration

David Milnes: What is it? A light-hearted quiz on a selection of objects from 18th-20th Centuries.

Smugglers, above Staithes Gallery 20 spaces only £donations 12 2-3pm

Zak Parlby Quartet

A delightful Saturday afternoon concert of jazz from the talented Staithes-born Zak Parlby, and his fellow Leeds Conservatoire students. Henry Skinner on guitar, Dan Sanderson on bass and Rory Hubery on drums.

RNLI station, £donations 2.05pm-2.45pm Music

The Staithes Group of Artists from 1880-1915 by Staithes Gallery owner Al Milnes

An illustrated talk on the Impressionist art colony in Staithes at the turn of the Twentieth Century.

Upstairs at St Peter’s, £4 2.15pm-3.15pm Talk

The Staithes Experience: roll up, roll up for a genuine Victorian Magic Lantern Show featuring bygone Staithes in the 1890’s screened by collector Rod Jewell, and author of Staithes: Between Two Nabs

Granary Yard Garage Studio, £free 3.30-4pm Event

Nick Rooke & Paul Blackburn

Rousing original music from Nick Rooke’s huge repertoire and traditional Irish folk. Expect a spirited performance.

RNLI station, £donations 2.50pm-3.35pm Music

American pop-art printmaker Sean Starwars’ Woodcut Workshop

All the way from Mississippi, Sean Starwars leads a fast-paced lesson in printmaking allowing you to draw, carve and print your own small scale relief print.

For those who don’t want to risk the life-changing experience of carving your own block and printing it, there will be opportunities to ink and print something for yourself using blocks from Sean’s personal collection. All levels of experience, includes a brief intro to materials and tool safety. An utterly unique experience. Don’t miss it. Pre-booking required. 12 places only.

Gallery 48, Old Sunday School, £25pp (incl materials) A 3-5pm Workshop

Fylingdales Folk Choir

RNLI station, £donations 3.40pm-4pm Music

Caroline Hawley The Antiques Market Today & Tales from the Telly!

The TV antiques expert reveals what’s hot and what’s not in the auction market today.

Plus special festival bonus - bring in your precious treasures for valuation at 3.15pm, and find out more about them after the talk. Valuation/ticket MUST be booked in advance. Repeated on Sunday.

Upstairs at St Peter’s, £5. A 3.30pm-4.45pm Talk

William’s Walks

Historian and long-time Staithes resident Bill Hinchley will lead a walk around the village sharing recollections, stories and history about this remarkable place and its inhabitants. 20 spaces, first come first served. Repeated on Sunday.

Meet Bank Top View Point £donations in aid of the Great North Air Ambulance 3.30-5.30pm Walk

Nick Rooke & Paul Blackburn

Rousing original music from Nick Rooke’s huge repertoire and traditional Irish folk. Expect a spirited performance.

Outside Staithes Gallery, High Street £donations. 6pm-6.45pm Music

John Hegley’s Biscuit of Destiny Show SOLD OUT

Hilarious comedy from the performance poet and musician, star of radio TV and school assemblies, bringing his latest show to Staithes featuring new verses, old favourites and a cardboard camel with a moving jaw.

‘Just because he is one of the funniest men alive does not underestimate his dedicated gentleness’ Adrian Mitchell, New Statesman

‘Awesomely mundane’ The Independent

Upstairs at St Peter’s, Tickets £16 7pm-9pm Comedy

Outdoor Cinema at Kipper’s Corner by Staithes Cinema Club

When the sun sets bring your deck chairs and blankets, and join us outside Staithes Gallery for a screening of more short films about Staithes past and present, telling the story of our remarkable village.

Kipper’s Corner, £donations 9pm Event

Sunday 17 September

Colin Hart: Skinningrove - The social history and development of the village as a result of ironstone mining and the iron works

Upstairs at St Peter’s £4 10.30am-11.30am Talk

American pop-art printmaker Sean Starwars’ woodcut workshop

All the way from Mississippi, Sean Starwars leads a fast-paced lesson in printmaking allowing you to draw, carve and print your own small scale relief print.

For those who don’t want to risk the life-changing experience of carving your own block and printing it, there will be opportunities to ink and print something for yourself using blocks from Sean’s personal collection. All levels of experience, includes a brief into to materials and tool safety. An utterly unique experience. Don’t miss it. Pre-booking required.

Gallery 48, Staithes Sunday School, £25pp (inc. materials) A 11am-1pm Workshop

Staithes History Talks hosted by Mandy Wragg

Join long-time Staithes residents, from three of Staithes’ oldest families; fisherman John Cole; village history expert Colin Harrison and ploager Bill Hinchley as they recall village life as they knew it, and beyond. And if you don’t know what a ploager is, you need to be there.

Upstairs at St Peter’s Centre £4 11.45am-12.45pm Talk

Lobster Pots and Fisherman’s Tales

John Cole from one of Staithes’ oldest families, who has fished here for much of his life, will be ashore over the weekend to demonstrate how he makes his lobster pots and sharing stories of a lifetime at sea.

Garden at St Peter’s, £donations in aid of the Great North Air Ambulance @ 1-4pm Demonstration/Talk

The Staithes Experience…Roll up, roll up for a genuine Victorian Magic Lantern Show featuring bygone Staithes in the 1890’s screened by collector Rod Jewell, and author of Staithes: Between Two Nabs

Granary Yard Garage Studio £free 12.30-13.30pm Event

Discovery of the 6,000 year-old Loftus Saltworks

Leading archaeologist Dr Stephen Sherlock on his recent discoveries of the UK’s earliest saltworks and other artefacts up on the cliffs at Boulby, which has changed the way experts view the Neolithic age.

Upstairs at St Peter’s, £4 1pm-2pm Talk

Artist Sue Nichol’s Painting Demo

A drop-in session in which Sue demonstrates how she creates her bold and colourful paintings inspired by the Yorkshire coast, and its famous sailing cobles.

Gallery 42, Laura Knight Studio £free 1.30-2.30pm Demonstration

Artist Ian Burke’s Woodblock Workshop

A rare chance to learn from the former art master at Eton College

Learn how to transfer an image onto a block. Using carving tools safely. Using relief print to produce an expressive portrait. No drawing experience required. Pre-booking required. 15 places only.

Smugglers, above Staithes Gallery 12 £15pp (incl materials) A 2-4pm Workshop

The Shark and the Herrings

John Tindale was senior photographer at the Whitby Gazette and a leading post-war photo-journalist. Enjoy this talk and film show about photography, culture and tall-stories by his son David Tindale, including A Staithes Life, a weekend-long exhibition of John Tindale’s photographs

Upstairs at St Peter’s £4 2.15pm-3.15pm Talk

Jessica Lawson & Phil Simpson

Americana, folk and country covers, big choruses and original tracks from this beautifully harmonious duo and their myriad instruments - autoharp, guitar, mandolin and melodeon

RNLI station, £donations 3pm-3.45pm Music

William’s Walks

Historian and long-time Staithes resident Bill Hinchley leads a walk around the village sharing recollections, stories and history about this remarkable place and its inhabitants. 20 spaces only. First come first served.

Meet Bank Top View Point £donations in aid of the Great North Air Ambulance 3.30-5.30pm Walk

Caroline Hawley The Antiques Market Today & Tales from the Telly!

The TV antiques expert reveals what’s hot and what’s not in the auction market today.

Plus special festival bonus – drop off your precious treasures for valuation at 3.15pm, and find out more about them after the talk. Valuation/ticket MUST be booked in advance.

Upstairs at St Peter’s £5 A 3.30pm-4.45pm Talk

Swing 42

Michael Nagasaka and gypsy jazz guitarist Lewis Kilvington perform popular blues and jazz classics, guaranteed feelgood foot-tapping and singing along.

RNLI station, donations 3.55pm-4.40pm Music

Men of Staithes Choir

Closing our festival for 2023 are the ever-popular Men of Staithes Choir, singing traditional hymns and sea shanties steeped in history.

RNLI station, then a procession to the high street…in the old way 4.55pm-5.30pm Music


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