The ships in Galway harbour, kayakers in the water and flyboarders soaring above, throngs of people exploring the huge range of exhibition tents and displays, the street food stalls serving fresh seafood and more. At SeaFest this June, Galway goes full to the brim with the best and brightest of Ireland’s maritime world and the harbour becomes its beating heart. It’s a maritime feast for the senses seriously not to be missed.
The SeaFest 2018 line-up is set to be released very soon and in anticipation of the festival (June 29th – July 2nd) we thought we’d highlight a few things we’re really looking forward to seeing again after last year’s phenomenal and sunshine-soaked event.
SeaFest 2018 Galway becomes the epicentre of the Irish maritime world (June 29th – July 2nd)
So what do we know? Well the good news all your favourites are returning. There will be a massive range of events and activities at the Galway docks and at other locations around the city that will keep people of all ages in good maritime spirit.
Defence Forces Display – Confirmed!
The popular Defence Forces display will return to Galway Harbour for SeaFest 2018. The Defence Forces, as well as the Naval Service and Air Corps will provide a current equipment and capabilities display.
Irish Naval Service ship in Galway harbour – Confirmed!
An Irish naval service vessel will be open for tours. This is a great opportunity to get onboard and have a good look around and as well as engage with members of the service. There will also be tours of the Commissioners of Irish Lights vessel the Granuaile and the Marine Institute’s research vessel RV Celtic Explorer. These were really popular last year so our advice is arrive early!
Flyboarders in the harbour – Confirmed!
PowerFly’s World Champion Flyboarders will showcase their awe-inspiring skills up to 15 metres in the air right in the heart of Galway Harbour. These guys were insane but seriously cool to watch.
Kayaking and sailing sessions – Confirmed!
The popular kayaking and sailing sessions will return with 600 free kayaking sessions available over the weekend, doubling the number of places on offer in 2017. Free try-sailing sessions will also be on offer thanks to Irish Sailing.
Bord Iascaigh Mhara and Bord Bia interactive displays – Confirmed!
Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) and Bord Bia will be encouraging visitors to get up-close to live fish and shellfish species and enjoy dynamic exhibits and virtual reality displays explaining how Irish seafood is sustainably caught and farmed.
We were really impressed with their sustainable seafood and fishing exhibits last year.
Doug Allan of Blue Planet and many David Attenborough Documentaries – Confirmed!
Talks from award-winning wildlife cameraman, Doug Allan, will be one of the highlights at this year’s festival. Doug Allan is most famous for his work alongside Sir David Attenborough on ground-breaking documentaries such as BBC’s Blue Planet and Frozen Planet.
Pretty cool line-up so far? We have it on good authority that there’s going to be lots more awesome additions to the event which they’re are hoping to announce in the next couple of weeks. As soon as they do, we’ll let you know!
When Coast Monkey first visited SeaFest in Galway in 2016, we knew straight away we wanted to be a part of this awesome maritime festival. Of course attend every year but also we’re proud to say we’re helping to promote SeaFest and this article is a part of that effort.
