This weekend’s Arbroath Sea Fest will be the ”highlight of the boating year”, it was yesterday claimed.
Peter Weightman of North East Maritime Trust said the annual event was one of the most anticipated on the industry calendar and revealed three of the group’s historic fishing boats Sovereign, Favourite and Rachel Douglas would be travelling north from from their present home in Newcastle to make an appearance.
He added: ”Going to Sea Fest is the highlight of the boating year for us.
”Each of these vessels has been extensively restored to how they looked 60 years ago, when nearly all our harbours, including Arbroath, had a fleet of these seine netters.”
The Sea Fest will have a 1940s theme, with wartime characters, artefacts, music and boats playing an important part.
Weather permitting, the three historic fishing boats are expected to sail into the harbour between 1pm and 2pm on Saturday, coinciding with the Sellers Brothers Swing Seven playing period music on the Beacon Green stage.
Arbroath Abbey Timethemes will be presenting the premiere of a specially-written short play.
”We’ll be performing this play outside our wartime canteen on Beacon Green at 2pm on Sea Fest Sunday,” said group member Bill Smith.
”Also, on the hour every hour, and in different parts of Beacon Green, Arbroath Abbey Timethemes will be joined by several members of Arbroath Male Voice Choir for a 1940s sing-along.”
Traditional boatbuilding demonstrations and displays will be provided by Northboats, an Aberdeenshire family-run boatbuilding, repair and restoration business.
Iain R Spink will show how Arbroath Smokies are made and visitors will get the chance to go on-board the Reaper, one of the Scottish Fisheries Museum’s fleet of historic fishing boats.
The Arbroath Lifeboat will launch at 2.30pm both days, followed by a re-enactment of a rescue.
Arbroath Lifeboat Ladies Guild will be selling cream teas from their stall alongside the lifeboat slipway.
Arbroath Sea Fest committee member Alistair Martin said: ”We’re delighted by the number of bookings we’ve had from stallholders this year.
”The wide variety and high number of stalls at Sea Fest are among the many reasons thousands of local people and visitors flock to Arbroath Sea Fest every August, which can only be good news for our town.
”Children attending Arbroath’s weekend of seaside celebrations can enjoy lots of treats, including story-telling sessions and free face painting.”
Bands playing over the weekend include, The Declaration Band, Bygones, sea shanty specialists Kimber’s Men, Lochnagar, who will be performing a tribute to The Corries, and The Trade.
There will be a wartime canteen, manned by Arbroath Abbey Timethemes members in Second World War uniforms, and a display of 1940s vehicles and wartime artefacts, courtesy of Strathmore Vintage Vehicle Club and Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre.
Gates to the festival area at the harbour open at 10am on Saturday and 11am on Sunday, with the admission charge of £3 (children under the age of five free).
For more information visit http://arbroathseafest.co.uk.