Hastings Seafood and Wine Festival 2010:
Programme of events and activities
The fifth, award-winning, Seafood and Wine Festival will be held in Rock-a-Nore Road car park this year. Make the most of a fabulous weekend with a stroll around Hastings and St Leonards and experience the best Seafood and Wine Festival ever!
Visit Hastings Information Centre for a print version of the programme.
No dogs allowed on the Festival site (assist dogs excepted).
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Saturday 18 September
The main festival site opens at 11am
Dancing with Dabs
Starts 10am Breeds Place (opposite the fountain).
A colourful and musical parade of fishy effigies: 'Dancing with Dabs' launches the festival.
This ten year old tradition involves Radiator Arts group working with local school children to create paper sculptures their vivid artwork along the seafront to the festival site, where their arrival will mark the beginning of a weekend of fishy festivities.
The procession travels through the underpass into the town centre, out onto the seafront via the Harold Place underpass towards Old Town, arriving at the festival site shortly before 11am for the official festival opening by the Mayor.
Dancing with Dabs is supported by The Stade Education Project, The Stade Partnership, The Fishermen's Protection Society and Hastings Borough Council.
website: www.radiatorarts.co.uk
Pretty Crafty
10am to 4pm: Arts and Crafts Fair at Butler's Gap in historic George Street. Original pieces from some of the finest established and new Hastings and St Leonards artists and makers.
Telephone: 07939 599986
Stade Guided Walk
11.00am; 3pm: What does RX on Hastings boats stand for? What's a Boy Ashore? What's the link between a Hastings fish and chip shop and Shakespeare? All will be revealed during this one hour walk. Free but donations appreciated. Meet outside the Lifeboat Station on the Stade
Back Door Gallery Presents... Smalls-Murray wandering entertainment
11am to 4pm: Carefully choreographed improvisations, obstructions, acts of good will, and death defying monologues, blurring the boundaries between truth, art and theatre. Smalls-Murray will be looking for willing volunteers to join in the fun.
Winkle Island Fantasy Island
11am to 4pm: Winkle Island becomes 'Fantasy Island' and will be converted to a sea theme with live music and a tropical feel. Donations will be collected for internationally famous local charitable organisation 'The Winkle Club', formed in 1900.
Children's Play Activities
11am to 5pm: On the beach near to the entertainment marquee with Hastings Borough Council's play coordinators on hand to create sea-themed crafts, maritime merriment.
Net Making and More
11am to 5pm: Come and watch the local fishermen making nets, splicing ropes and showing the knots they use to bring sustainably-caught fish to your plate (at the main festival site).
The Story of the Stade
12.30pm: Guided walk led by local historian Steve Peak. Looking at the many old and new features of the Stade including the fishing industry, sea defences and the town's Victorian recycling centre. Part of this tour involves walking on the working beach, it will not be suitable for those with mobility problems or wheelchair users. No unaccompanied minors. Meet at the Fishermen's Museum.
Tom Kime Celebrity Chef
1pm to 1.45pm; 4pm to 4.30pm: Tom Kime, celebrity chef and author is a strong supporter of the Hastings Marine Stewardship Council accredited fishing fleet and works hard to promote the use of sustainably caught fish. Tom will be demonstrating recipes from his latest book 'Fish Tales' At the demo site near the entertainment marquee.
Dr Savage Blues Pianist
2pm to 2.40pm: Dr Savage is the real thing; a unique and moving experience taking the best from the the 1940s to the 1960s and interpreting it in his own style with just a honky-tonk piano and a preacher man set of lungs to accompany him. In the entertainment marquee.
Treasure Hunt
3pm: Join the Hastings Borough Council's play coordinators for fun, action packed, sea-themed treasure hunting! On the beach near to the entertainment marquee.
The Blackman Band
3pm to 4pm: The Blackman Band was formed in the mid 90s and has appeared at most of the local festivals and pubs playing covers of popular 60s and 70s songs. In the entertainment marquee.
Spin
4.30pm to 5.30pm: Vocal harmony group performing popular songs spanning the last four decades, drawing from many different musical genres and adding their own distinct flavour. In the entertainment marquee.
The Twang Dragons USA
6pm to 7pm: Raucous 4-piece band from the States, playing a blend of revved-up honky tonk music. From the barefoot lead singer to the energetic guitar, bass and drum work, it is a spectacle not to be missed. In the entertainment marquee.
Titanic Revisited
7.30pm: Phillip Littlejohn will give a talk telling of his descent, in the submersible MIR 1, to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean to see the wreck of the Titanic. Admission: £10 per person, tickets available in advance from the Shipwreck Museum.
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Sunday 19 September
Main festival site opens at 11am.
Liane Carroll
10am to 12noon: The award winning favourite returns to the Seafood and Wine Festival. Bar open from 11am This is a ticket only event, tickets available from Hastings Information Centre
Children's Play Activities
11am to 5pm: The Hastings Borough Council's play coordinators will be on hand to create sea-themed crafts, maritime merriment. On the beach near to the entertainment marquee.
Net making and more
11am to 5pm: Watch the local fishermen making nets, splicing ropes and showing the knots they use to bring sustainably-caught fish to your plate (at the main festival site).
The Story of the Stade
12.30pm: Guided walk led by local historian Steve Peak. Looking at the many old and new features of the Stade including the fishing industry, sea defences and the town's Victorian recycling centre. Part of this tour involves walking on the working beach, it will not be suitable for those with mobility problems or wheelchair users. No unaccompanied minors. Meet at the Fishermen's Museum.
Paul Webbe Local Chef
1pm to 1.45pm: Paul Webbe, owner of 3 local restaurants, will demonstrate fish-filleting techniques at the demo site near the entertainment marquee.
The Singing Loins
2pm to 3pm: Chris Broderick on vocals, Chris (Arfur) Allen on guitar and Rob Shepherd on banjo, mandolin and accordian, with John Forrester on occasional stand-up bass. From their latest album The Loins offer up another dozen short stories from the end of old England's pier. In the entertainment marquee.
Crik the Croc
3pm to 3.50pm: A story for children 4 and upwards and their families. Meet Peregrine the Pepper, Polly the Pumpkin and Miss Mint who are on a quest to save Eustace and Marianne from the jaws of exceedingly greedy new neighbour Crik the Croc and his assistant, the long sighted Binocular Bird! Near to the entertainment marquee.
Jenny Jane Young
3.30pm to 4.30pm: Miss Jenny Jane Young has a rich contralto voice, steady as a rock and smooth as velvet reminiscent of the smoky jazz bars of Paris, New Orleans. In the entertainment marquee.
Swing Street
5pm to 6pm: A 14-16 piece swing band who play 'The Big Band Sound' ranging from Jools Holland to Reggae. Guaranteed to make your afternoon go with a swing! In the entertainment marquee.
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English Wines and Cider marquee
Battle Cider
Established in 1995, Battle Cider is a dynamic young company which bases its products on traditional cider making techniques. They use a range of old English cider apples and dessert apples grown in orchards around East Sussex.
Telephone: 01424 774821/07958943151
website: www.battlecider.co.uk
Battle Wine Estate
Producers of English wines of a consistently high quality. Grapes are sourced from the Estate's own vineyards and used produce a range of fruit liqueurs and kir.
Telephone/fax: 01424 870449
website:www.battlewineestate.com
Biddenden Vineyards
Kent's oldest family owned vineyards and the county's largest producer of ciders and apple juice.
Telephone: 01580 291726
Fax: 01580 291933
website: www.biddendenvineyards.com
Carr Taylor Vineyards
Carr Taylor Vineyards in Westfield have won a cellar-full of awards for their sparkling, still and fruit wines. Open daily between 10am to 5pm for tours, free wine-tastings, gifts, hampers and refreshments.
Telephone: 01424 752501
website: www.carr-taylor.co.uk
Harbourne Vineyard
A small family owned and run vineyard established in 1979, using traditional methods and minimum intervention to produce handmade wines in Kent. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
Telephone: 01797 270420
website: www.harbournevineyard.co.uk
Sedlescombe Organic Vineyard
Established in 1979, this independent family business produces estate-bottled, award-winning English whites, oak-matured red and quality sparkling wines. Vineyard and Woodland Nature Trail plus wine tasting open daily.
Freefone 0800 980 2884
Fax 01580 830122
website: www.englishorganicwine.co.uk
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Eat and drink your way around the town!
Penbuckles
English Cheesemonger and Vintner
Specialist independent shop stocking a wide variety of the finest English cheeses and wines, alongside a complementary range of award winning local foods . Free tastings available all weekend.
Telephone: 01424 465050
Rock-a-Nore Fisheries
Fish smokers and curers. Oak-smoked on the premises: salmon, trout, kippers, haddock, buckling, hot smoked salmon and more. No artificial colours or preservatives. Accredited to sell local MSC certified fish. Wide selection of fresh local fish. Recommended in Rick Stein's 'Seafood Lovers Guide'.
Telephone: 01424 445425
website: www.rockanore.co.uk
Harris Restaurant and Tapas Bar
15 years in the High Street. 30 fish, meat or vegetarian tapas dishes cooked to order. Tapas feast for 2 (10 tapas for £30.50) and seafood paella £11 per person.
Telephone: 01424 437221
Black Market
Food and wine bar serving Modern British food with Retro Classics. Breakfast and Sunday lunch served at weekends. Available for Private Functions.
Telephone: 01424 422399
Black Pearl
Fresh local seafood, free range meat, vegetarian and vegan, taster menu, all day Sunday roast, private function room, large parties catered for, free WiFi.
Telephone: 01424 7199919
e-Mail: info@blackpearlrestaurant.co.uk
The 1066 Bakery
The town's leading buffet supplier for parties, funerals, meetings, weddings and corporate events with fresh food daily. All sandwiches are made with freshly baked bread, handmade fillings and love!
Telephone: 01424 437007
Webbe's Rock-a-Nore
Our new fresh eatery in the heart of Hastings Old Town Fishing Quarter. Serving the freshest local fish, seafood crustacea, steaks and taster bar. Open 7 days a week.
Telephone: 01424 721650
website: www.webbesrestaurants.co.uk
Webbe's at the Fish Café
A vibrant lively café, Webbe's A La Carte Restaurant and Webbe's Function Suite, seating 70. AA Rosette. Serving fresh fish and seafood from the local ports of Hastings and Rye. Home of Webbe's Cookery School. Summer: open all week; Winter: closed Mondays.
Telephone: 01797 222 226
website: www.webbesrestaurants.co.uk
Arcade Fisheries
Established since 1937 and one of the oldest fishmongers in the town, specialising in wet fish, smoked fish and shellfish. Suppliers to many of the local resturants and catering trade. Marine Stewardship Council certified.
Telephone: 01424 435459
The Hastings Old Town Country Market
Serving Goan/India fish, meat and vegetarian food using locally sourced ingredients.
Telephone: 01424 425732
e-Mail: violet@violetyule.orangehome.co.uk
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Thanks to...
... everyone!
A big thank you for all their time and effort must go to the advisory group. Special thanks to the Hastings Fishing Fleet, Mike Raxworthy for entertainments, Andy of Broxbourne Plant Hire, Westridge, The Stag Inn and The FILO for hosting the meetings. There is not enough space to mention everyone, but a heartfelt thanks to all those who have helped during the festival.
Further Information: