Crawl into the belly of a whale and step back 200 years next weekend

Plymouth's waterfront festival returns to Royal William Yard next weekend with a historic twist as the iconic destination celebrates its bicentenary. The Yard’s much-anticipated 200 Exhibition – showcasing Royal William Yard’s creation and evolution over two centuries – launches alongside Seafest 2025, promising a unique blend of seafaring heritage and seaside fun throughout the weekend.

From heritage discovery events and historic crafts, to an abundance of free family activities and live entertainment, the packed programme offers something for everyone. Seafest 2025 takes place across Plymouth's waterfront on 13 and 14 September, with Royal William Yard's peninsula setting – surrounded by water on three sides – providing the perfect backdrop for the coastal celebration.

Visitors to Royal William Yard can expect:

Historic Discovery:

Uncover 200 years of innovation and ingenuity, hidden histories and maritime marvels, with events that bring the Yard’s rich history to life:

• 200 Exhibition (13-28 September, opening times 10am-3pm on Seafest weekend): discover two centuries of history over two weeks, with the launch of this exciting exploration into the past. A curated collection of artefacts, information, images and stories sourced from The National Archives, Devonport Naval Heritage Centre, Plymouth Proprietary Library, local historians, and captivating public submissions. Located at Melville Corner, it is free to attend. Running for a limited period – it’s not to be missed
• History Guided Tours (10:30am-12pm, Saturday and Sunday): Join guided tours around Royal William Yard with local historian Richard Fisher. Explore Europe's largest collection of Grade I listed military buildings and uncover why this remarkable site was created and its importance throughout history be it in conflict or in exploration. [Now full]
• 200th Anniversary Waterfront Cruise (Saturday 7pm-9pm): Enjoy breathtaking views of Plymouth’s stunning coastline and Royal William Yard with local historian Chris Robinson guiding you along, and back through time. Over a 2-hour journey, discover the fascinating facts and hidden gems that shaped this remarkable part of Plymouth’s heritage. Tickets £15 each. Book at: https://online.plymouthboattrips.co.uk/trips/view/1e757c30-c97a-42fa-90de-ea9473cbe743?passengers=2
• Visit Devonport Naval Heritage Centre (Saturday 10am-3pm): Discover the major maritime legacy of Plymouth and explore the city’s crucial role in supporting the Royal Navy from the age of sail to today. Hop on a free shuttle bus running from Royal William Yard at 10:30am and 11:30am, returning at 12:30pm and 1:30pm.
• History Trail: Take a free family-friendly interactive trip around the Yard in the new trail that opened this summer. This self-guided discovery tour brings the past alive through archives, plans and pictures, and fascinating audio stories of first-hand accounts.

Family Zone:

On The Green, there will be an exciting assortment of free fun things to see, do and learn from 10am-3pm on Saturday and Sunday of Seafest weekend:

• Whale Tales: An experience unlike any other - crawl into the belly of an enormous inflatable Sperm Whale to take part in a marvellous marine tale! Bookable sessions at 10am, 10:30am, 12pm, 12:30pm, 2pm and 2:30pm. Book at: https://buytickets.at/royalwilliamyard/1834840
• Children's craft zone: visit the Seafest craft zone to make underwater animals and get creative
• Face painting: transform into a sea creature or a mystical mermaid
• Seafest Hide and Seek: grab a map and explore Royal William Yard to track down a troupe of hidden sea creatures. It promises plenty of fun and a reward at the end!
• Circus skills: on The Green - activity for children and families. Walk the plank and juggle treasures!
• Pop-up stands: visit stands including Meet the Marine Park and coastal charity South West Coast Path, plus the RNLI water safety team (on Sunday).

Heritage Crafts:

Experience the Yard's origins in a novel way, with activities held indoors in the new Arcade building:

• Stitch & Celebrate: with Make Fabric Boutique and Abbi from Mukta-Undone - join a stitching session to decorate a traditional wool military garment using upcycled fabrics and creative embellishments. There will be 30-minute creative sewing slots (first-come, first-served if busy) open to all skill levels.
• Ships Biscuit Making: a free activity for children of all ages creating authentic ships biscuits, just like those produced in the Yard's massive bakery 200 years ago. Sessions at 11:30am and 12:45pm. [Now full]
• Clay Tile Making: join Tweeny from Ocean Studio's pottery - explore the amazing architecture of the Yard through clay, with the opportunity to recreate the iconic landscape through creating relief tiles. Saturday sessions at 10am, 11:30am, and 2pm; Sunday at 10am and 11:30am. [Now full]
• Stitch & Celebrate: with Make Fabric Boutique and Abbi from Mukta-Undone - join a stitching session to decorate a traditional wool military garment using upcycled fabrics and creative embellishments. There will be 30-minute creative sewing slots (first-come, first-served if busy) open to all skill levels.

Music and Entertainment:

• Yard Sessions with Alex Hart (Friday 12 September, 5:30pm-8pm): kick off Seafest weekend in style with the final Yard Session of the summer in the atmospheric Secret Garden. Bar provided by Le Vignoble and takeaway food menus available
• Sea Shanty Band (Sunday 1:30pm-2:30pm): at Steel Brew
• Quiz night at Steel Brew (Sunday 6pm-8pm): marine themed quiz hosted by Plymouth Sound National Marine Park. Tickets £2. Book at: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/nationalmarinepark/1825475

On, From and By the Water:

• Stand-up Paddleboarding Sessions: take to the sea with South West SUP across the weekend – with discounted paddleboarding activities. Family SUP taster sessions (Saturday 11:30am-1pm, Sunday 9:30am-11am and 11:30am-1pm), History Paddles (Sunday 11am-12:30pm), and SUP Family Yoga (Saturday 10am-11:15am and adults-only session 8:30am-9:45am). £15 per person, or £50 for a family of four. Book at: https://southwestsup.co.uk/
• South West Coast Path Guided Walks: two free walks during Seafest weekend - Mount Edgcumbe riverside walk (Saturday 10:30am-1:30pm) and Plymouth waterfront walk from Barbican to Royal William Yard (Sunday 10:30am-12:30pm). Book here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/south-west-coast-path-association-46146146583
• Food and drink pop-ups: including crêpes, slushies, The Hook & Line rum bar, and hot drinks. Plus Kids eat for £1 at Wildwood during Seafest weekend (T&Cs apply).

Travel Made Easy:

• Hop on the free 'Shark and Ride' shuttle bus, provided by Plymouth Citybus with support from Plymouth Waterfront Partnership. Running in a loop every 45 minutes, stopping at all Seafest locations along the waterfront from 10am-4pm both days
• Set sail for less with Plymouth Boat Trips ferry and grab half-price tickets for the Barbican-Royal William Yard-Mount Edgcumbe service
• Stonehouse Creek car park opens to the public at weekends, just a short walk from Royal William Yard. Pay & display facility at £1 per hour with a maximum stay of 5 hours.

Visit www.royalwilliamyard.com/seafest for more information and event details and booking information.