Seafood & Sounds makes for a Poole piscatorial delight

From Falkland Square to the far end of Poole Quay, bands played, choirs sang and solo artists strummed away, providing sights and entertainment that appealed across the generations over the weekend.

After the opening parade, the quay’s pubs and many seafood stalls did a brisk trade as visitors thronged in the pleasant weather to enjoy the atmosphere. From the sea shanties of Captain Crusty & the Pickled Herrings to Relight my Choir’s dance remix of Enya’s classic Sail Away, there were plenty of musical surprises, covers and original songs to make heart’s sing.

On Saturday, many traders were selling out of oysters, cockles and fish (cooked or to take home), as visitors could choose to race from band to band around the old town. Or, they grabbed seating outside the pubs to relax and watch the performers pass by.

There were even markets stalls afloat, as traders took over some of the local tourist ships to extend the available space. With marching bands, pirates and mermaids, there was always something going on, and the local shops that are normally quieter in the post-holiday period said they were doing good business. (Does anyone have a good recipe for bream?)