FALMOUTH CLASSICS 2024 TAKES PLACE BETWEEN FRIDAY 14 AND SUNDAY 16 JUNE 2024. EXPECT ALL MANNER OF BOAT RACES TO TAKE PLACE IN THE WATERS NEXT TO THE TOWN WHILE THERE’S A FESTIVAL ATMOSPHERE ONSHORE…
Classic sailing vessels. Pilot gigs. Motor boats. Traditional craft. And everything in between. That’s what you’re going to see – and then some – in Falmouth’s waters when the Falmouth Classics 2024 boat festival sails into town between Friday 14 and Sunday 16 June 2024 (with the vessels arriving on Thursday 13 June 2024).
This ultra-popular classic sailing festival, which began way back in 1987 and has grown to become one of the UK’s largest, features races out on the water, as well as some spectacular parades, including the Parade of Classic Boats and the Small Classic Boat Parade. Expect the area to come alive with the sight of taught jibs and the sound of clanging rigging set against a host of fab shore-side events, just as it did during the incredible three-day 36th edition of the fest out on the waves in June 2023.
The coastline around the town provides plenty of fantastic viewpoints to watch the action across Falmouth Bay and the Carrick Roads section of the River Fal during the 37th edition of the festival in 2024. On the water, sailing vessels from nine-footers to whopping 150ft monsters compete for the title of top seadog in a whole host of boat categories.
For the traditionalist, one of the event highlights is the ‘Falmouth Working Boats’ which, as its name suggests, features vessels that hail from the local area that have evolved for fishing in the local waters. Other races include classic boats powered by sail, oar, steam or engine, all of which showcase traditional boat building methods from all over the world.
There are plenty of opportunities to interact with the vessels in the Classics Maritime Village and you can also watch rowing and sculling races in and around the harbour. Catch all sorts of entertainment and musical events around the town too, particularly as Falmouth Classics, coincides with the lively Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival 2024. Read all about that: here.
All eyes will be on Cornwall’s biggest deepwater harbour for a long weekend of maritime merriment so you can get this one in your dairy… schooner rather than later.