Record-breaking Hartlepool Waterfront festival welcomed a record 20,000 revellers

The festival saw two packed days of live music plus arts and family activities on the former Jackson’s Landing waterfront site last weekend.

Highlights included a performance by Hartlepool’s own Michael Rice, fresh from representing the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest, who closed the festivities on Saturday.

And a 25ft-high puppet of Bran the Blessed, a giant and king of Britain in Welsh mythology, rounded off the festival in spectacular style on Sunday.

Organisers Hartlepool Borough Council have today announced the attendance figure and thanked people for making it a record-breaking year.

Councillor Christopher Akers-Belcher, chair of the council’s Regeneration Services Committee, said: “Thank you to everyone who attended the 2019 Hartlepool Waterfront Festival and thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make it such a huge success.

“We were absolutely delighted so many residents and visitors enjoyed another unforgettable weekend of fun.

“We think artists engaged with around 4,000 children and young people over the course of the weekend which is just fantastic.

“We really hope we’ll see everyone enjoying themselves again at the festival in 2020.”

The theme of this year’s festival was Harbour of Refuge which historically was the name given to a safe haven for ships seeking free shelter from stormy seas.

There was live music performances covering genres from soul and pop to rap, plus, an orchestra, Hartlepool Male Voice Choir, and Shoot Your Mouth Off, which brings together people with disabilities.

Visitors could join in workshops including film making, crafts, haiku writing, proggy mat making, puppet making, creating inventions and print making, while a series of theatre pieces were put on show.

On Water Training, based at the marina, offered people the chance to have a go at out open water swimming, paddle boarding and put on jetski and fly boarding demonstrations over the weekend.

Visitors could pay what they felt the event was worth with the money to go back into helping to stage next year’s festival.

Local businesses Racz, Domino’s, Thirteen Group and developer Seymour sponsored the festival.