Swanage
Shanty
Festival
Sat 21 Nov 2026The Mowlem, SwanageTwo stages · One day
Get tickets Sold via The Mowlem
Adult £14 · Under 18s £7
Adult £14 · Under 18s £7
Swanage
the crews —
Twelve Crews
All confirmed — two stages under one roof at The Mowlem, and the day moves between them, so there's always a crew singing and never a clash to choose between.
Top of the billTwo headliners · one each stage
Auditorium
Closing the Auditorium — top of the bill.
Show Bar
Closing the Show Bar — top of the bill.
Auditorium
Stage One14:1545 min
15:4545 min
17:1545 min
18:4545 min
20:1545 min
21:3045 min
Show Bar
Stage Two14:0015 min
15:0045 min
16:3045 min
18:0045 min
19:3045 min
21:0030 min
22:1545 min
Tap a crew for their story
Doors 13:30·First set 14:00·Close 23:00
The Venue
The Mowlem. On the Swanage seafront.
Our home for the day — one seafront building, two stages, a two-minute walk from the beach.
The Mowlem, on the Swanage seafront.
A seafront landmark since 1863.
The Mowlem opened in 1967, replacing the Victorian Mowlem Institute that John Mowlem built on the seafront in 1863, overlooking the bay. It stands at the junction of two of Swanage’s main shopping streets and runs a year-round programme of film and live theatre — local schools and societies alongside visiting professional productions.
For one day this November, the whole building is ours.
- Two stages under one roof
- Right on the seafront
- Shops, cafés & bars on site
- In the heart of town
- Two minutes from the beach
The Mowlem, Shore Road, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 1DD
for the uninitiated —
What's a sea shanty festival?
Shanties are working songs — the rhythms sailors used to haul ropes, turn capstans and keep time on long, cold jobs. No band required: one voice calls, everyone answers, and a room of strangers ends up singing as a crew. That’s the whole festival, really. Bring your voice.
When
Saturday 21 Nov 2026 Doors 13:30 · Music 14:00 Close 23:00
Where
The Mowlem Shore Road, Swanage Dorset
Right on the seafront
Access
Lift to every floor. Accessible toilet on the first floor, through the bar. Wheelchair spaces in the auditorium.
Specific needs? Tell us ahead of time
Getting here
Train to Wareham, then bus or the steam railway. Limited parking in town.
Travel page coming
be there —
Get tickets
One day, two stages, twelve crews — Sat 21 Nov 2026 at The Mowlem. Tickets are sold through the venue’s own box office.
Buy via The MowlemAdult £14 · Under 18s £7 — all tickets include a £1 venue commission