Seafest

Seafest at Royal William Yard

The celebration of Plymouth’s waterfront is back – and the festival will return to Royal William Yard, with a packed programme planned. Seafest 2025 will take place across Plymouth’s waterfront over the weekend of 13^th and 14^th September.

Visit Royal William Yard for Seafest with a historic twist, celebrating the site's heritage during its 200th anniversary. Explore the History Trail - an interactive discovery tour that brings the past alive – and experience the 200 Exhibition showcasing two centuries of history. On Seafest weekend, enjoy free children's crafts, face painting, ships biscuit making, Seafest Hide & Seek trail, guided history tours, music, entertainment and more. An experience not to be missed, crawl into the belly of an enormous inflatable Sperm Whale to discover a marvellous marine tale.

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.

Marine magic: Crawl into the belly of an enormous inflatable Sperm Whale to discover a marvellous marine tale (Click here to book your free tickets)
Children's craft zone - visit the Seafest craft zone to make some 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!
Pop up stands - Visit stands including Meet the Marine Park and coastal charity South West Coast Path, as well as family-friendly food and drink stalls
Geo Trail - Pick up a map from the children's craft zone and join the interactive Geo Trail created with the University of Plymouth – travel back in time by 380 million years to discover the coast’s ancient sea creatures.

200 Exhibition

Royal William Yard is the perfect spot to enjoy Seafest with a historic twist, celebrating the site's heritage during its 200th anniversary.

Opening on Seafest Weekend, visit the 200 Exhibition located at Melville Corner step back in time to discover two centuries of history at Royal William Yard.

This curated exhibition at Royal William Yard will showcase original artifacts, historical documents, images and art, sourced from The National Archives, Devonport Naval Heritage Centre, Plymouth Proprietary Library, local historians and more.

Free to attend - Opening times on 13-14th September, 10am - 3pm.

The exhibition will be open until 28th September.

Activities in Arcade

Alongside the activities on the green there will be activities taking place in the new Arcade space within the Brewhouse Building (next to Wagamamas). This includes:

Clay Tile Making with 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 - sessions at 10am, 11:30am, and 2pm (Sat only) – booking required. [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. The garment will reflect themes of sustainability, community, and "make do and mend". There will be 30-minute creative sewing slots (first-come, first-served if busy) open to all skill levels.

Ships Biscuit Making is 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. While these historic treats were once notorious for being infested with insects, assured that all biscuits made this weekend will be bug-free! (sessions at 11.30am and 12.45pm – booking advised as places are limited. [Now full]

Pop-up Stands located in the new retail/leisure space, plus pop-up portraits

History Tours - 10:30 - 12pm each day

Discover the magnificent Royal William Yard in East Stonehouse, Plymouth—an architectural marvel and a cornerstone of the Royal Navy’s proud history. On this engaging history tour, wander through one of Europe’s largest collections of Grade I listed military buildings and uncover why this remarkable site was created and how it served as the heart of naval supply and exploration for two centuries. From vital roles in conflict and provisioning to innovative moments in British maritime history, explore the Yard’s enduring importance and the stories that make it a true icon of the West Country. [Now full]

History Trail

Explore the brand-new History Trail - an interactive discovery tour that brings the past alive.

Pick up a leaflet from the History Exhibition (Melville Corner) or at the Craft Zone on the Green and take a trip through archives, plans, pictures and stories that bring the past alive in a unique way.

This free self-guided tour throughout Royal William Yard is an interactive trail, connecting visitors to a wealth of digital content, videos and audio.

Live Music and Performances

Enjoy live music by the sea, with free open-air gigs by popular performers.

Join us for our final Yard Session of the year on 12th September. Alex Hart will perform in the secret garden, 5.30pm - 8pm.

Plus enjoy other live music over the weekend.

200th Anniversary Waterfront Cruise

Step aboard our exclusive waterfront cruise to mark the spectacular 200th Anniversary of Royal William Yard, departing from its historic quay. Glide through Plymouth’s picturesque waters and soak in panoramic views of this landmark and its surrounds as the golden evening light illuminates two centuries of remarkable heritage. During this two-hour voyage, acclaimed local historian Chris Robinson will guide you through the fascinating stories, pivotal moments, and transformations that have shaped Royal William Yard into one of Britain's most iconic waterfront destinations. Secure a ticket for only £15 per person—don’t miss this one-of-a-kind celebration of history, scenery, and community spirit.

Book Here

Stand-up Paddleboarding Sessions

Take to the sea and have a go at stand-up paddleboarding taster sessions. Run by South West SUP across the weekend, there will be something for all ages and abilities.

Family SUP Taster Sessions

Try stand-up paddleboarding taster sessions. This is the world’s fastest-growing water sport and you can find out why, by getting out on the water, learning essential skills and playing games! Even if you already paddle, this is a great way to practise your skills.
Saturday 13th September 11:30 - 13:00 (£15pp or family of four for £50)
Sunday 14th September 9:30 - 11:00 (£15pp or family of four for £50)
Sunday 14th September 11:30 - 13:00 (£15pp or family of four for £50)

History Paddles

Discover the history of Royal William Yard and Plymouth Sound by paddleboard. Guided by experienced instructors, explore the stunning locations, discovering our untouched and beautiful coastline up close. These sessions are for adults only and aimed at those with some previous paddling experience.
Sunday 14th September 11:00 - 12:30 (£15pp or family of four for £50)

SUP Family Yoga

A fun way to be close to nature with the added benefits of a full-body workout, mindfulness and meeting people, SUP Yoga is a must-try activity. These sessions will have a family focus and offer the perfect blend of fun, challenge and chill.
Saturday 13th September 10:00 - 11:15 (£15pp or family of four for £50)
Saturday 13th September Adults only 08:30 - 9:45 (£10pp)

Book Here

Around the Yard

South West Coast Path Guided Walk

Join the South West Coast Path team for two free walks during Seafest Weekend. Click on the dates below to find out more information and book onto these events.

Steel Brew Quiz - Sunday 14th September

To finish off your Seafest weekend Plymouth Sound National Marine Park and Steel Brew are hosting a marine themed quiz night on Sunday 14th of September 18:00 - 20:00.

Tickets £2 - Click here to book

Wildwood

Kids eat for £1 during Seafest Weekend, Terms and conditions apply

Plus much more soon to be announced .......

Visit Devonport Naval Heritage Centre - 13th September

Discover the rich maritime legacy of Plymouth at the Devonport Naval Heritage Centre, where you’ll explore the city’s crucial role in supporting the Royal Navy from the age of sail to today. As part of your visit, don’t miss the "Victualling Through the Ages" exhibition, which showcases some of the items that were previously stored as part of the Royal William Yard Museum, including a scaled model of the yard.

The Heritage Centre will be open from 10am – 3pm (Last entry 2.15pm). To make your visit even easier, a free shuttle bus will run from Royal William Yard on 13th September for the launch of the Royal William Yard 200 exhibition—allowing you to experience two landmark destinations in one special event.

Shuttle Bus Timetable

Departing Royal William Yard

10:30am
11:30am

Departing Devonport Naval Heritage Centre

12:30
13:30

If you would like to make your own way to the centre, click here for travel information

The Heritage centre is free admission. If you cannot visit on 13^th September then they are open on a number of other dates visit https://devonportnhc.wordpress.com/whats-on/ for more details

No booking required – First come first serve

Transport and Travel

Hop on the free ‘Shark and Ride’ shuttle bus, provided by Plymouth Citybus with support from Plymouth Waterfront Partnership. This will run across the weekend, running in a loop every 45 minutes. Stopping at all Seafest locations along the waterfront, the free bus will run from 10am-4pm on Saturday and Sunday
Set sail for less with Plymouth Boat Trips ferry and grab a limited number of half-price tickets specifically for the Barbican – RWY – Mount Edgcumbe service. Normal prices apply to the new Saltash ferry service. Ferries will run regularly across the weekend, take a look at the timetables for details
A short walk from Royal William Yard, Stonehouse Creek car park is now open to the public at weekends. The 294-space car park operates a pay and display facility on the weekends at a charge of £1 an hour with a maximum stay of five hours.

For full further details on how to get to Royal William Yard, click here.

Seafest Plymouth is brought to you by the businesses from the Plymouth Waterfront Partnership. The Plymouth Sound National Marine Park Horizons Project has been made possible thanks to money raised by National Lottery players with £11.6million of funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.