Brixham to host inaugural South West Sardine Festival celebrating sustainable local seafood

Brixham, South Devon, is set to host the inaugural South West Sardine Festival on 3^rd August. The free, one-day event will take place at the historic port’s Fish Market from noon till late, and aims to celebrate the start of the sardine season, the town’s fishing heritage and sustainable seafood practices. A community-led initiative, it is supported by several local organisations. Carolyn Custerson, CEO of the English Riviera BID Company, commented: “The South West Sardine Festival is a wonderful showcase of what makes the English Riviera so distinctive and special. It’s about celebrating our beautiful coastline, our time-honoured food traditions and the strong sense of community that’s at the heart of everything we do here.”

Located on the English Riviera, Brixham has a fishing tradition dating back to the 14^th century and is home to one of the UK’s busiest fish markets. The new festival aims not only to celebrate local seafood but also to highlight the importance of environmentally informed industry in the region. It will feature a line-up of well-known chefs, including Nathan Outlaw, Mitch Tonks, Mark Hix, Matt Tebbutt, Jack Stein and Jane Baxter, who will prepare and serve responsibly sourced, MSC-certified sardines cooked over charcoal. There will also be live music, street performances and family-friendly activities, drawing inspiration from similar celebrations in Spain and Portugal.

Tonks, founder and CEO of the seafood restaurant group Rockfish, expressed his enthusiasm, stating: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be supporting the South West Sardine Festival in Brixham this August, inviting locals and those travelling from further afield to celebrate British sardines and the South Devon fishing industry and its history. We’ve been working on this community event for several months and look forward to welcoming some of the UK’s most celebrated chefs to get behind the grills, cooking whole sardines over charcoal ready to be eaten on the spot as the party kicks off. Hopefully this will be the first of many sardine festivals and a way to encourage more people to eat locally caught, seasonal fish throughout the year!”.

Food Desk

The South West Sardine Festival takes place on 3^rd August 2025 from 12pm until 10.30pm. For further information visit here.