Vintage by the Sea Festival 2024
Each September the Morecambe seafront provides a stunning backdrop for a programme of art and culture inspired by the 20th century from the 20s to the 90s!
An exceptional line up of performance, music, dance, classic cars, vintage and design marketplaces, DJ sets, Best in Show fashion parades, workshops and street food. We’ll be bringing back some of the best and most loved events and activities from the last 10 years as well as welcoming some new additions as this anniversary edition sets out to be one of our finest!
So pop the 31 August – 1 September in your diary and we’ll see you at the seaside ⛵⛵⛵
Family Workshops
Inspired by the vintage decades, fabulous workshops await all you crafty sorts. From 11 till 5:30pm, the red and white striped Little Big Top will become a vintage inspired maker space, where you can try your hand at all kinds of crafts and traditional skills.
From printmaking to leatherworking, collage and more – lose yourself in retro visuals, seaside crafts and vintage techniques. There’s something for all ages and best of all most of our workshops will be totally free to try! Look out for full details of workshops in the full programme release.
Street Theatre
Our vintage themed entertainers might pop-up anywhere at the festival!
Vintage Market Place
The marvellous Vintage Market Place curated by Dotty’s Vintage is back.
The very best authentic traders are hand-picked by Dotty’s Vintage, a haven where keen shoppers discover the most magnificent mid-century homewares, refined frockery, and fantastic fashion from the 20s to the 90s. A cornucopia of unexpected delights!
DJs on top of a Routemaster Bus
Grab a drink and a seat outside this unique bus-turned-bar set against the perfect festival soundtrack from the Routemaster DJ’s.
Our DJs take you through an incredible journey of 20th century classics, expect an eclectic mix of Northern Soul, Funk, Jazz and everything in between.
Best in Show
It’s the glamourous folks of Morecambe and the visitors from miles around that make #VintagebytheSea such a visual and atmospheric feast.
The festival provides a peerless palette of street styles and our spotters will be on the hunt for the best looks. Taking place against the glamorous backdrop of the iconic 1930s Midland Hotel, the Best in Show pop-up catwalk will feature some of the best looks and most authentic gear spotted around the festival.
Vintage by the Sea Bike Ride
Put your foot to the pedal and experience a small slice of the Morecambe Bay Cycle Way on the Vintage Bike Ride by the Sea, from the Midland Hotel Car Park to the Venus and Cupid Statue stopping at Happy Mount Park for tea & cake on the return.
Show off your classic racer, ‘sit up & beg’ or 60s shopper taking in the fabulous natural landscape of the Bay.
Pop-Up Dance Lessons
Twirl your way across the Midland Carpark with flair. The Pop-up Charleston Dance Classes with Antony and Steph are back!
Learn the toes-in, heels-out twisting steps and bring the Charleston to life outside The Midland Hotel. Whether you’re flying solo, with a partner or with the whole family, these dance classes will transport you back to the roaring 20s with style!
Classic Car Show
The Classic Car Show returns to Morecambe, showcasing a handpicked selection of stunning vintage vehicles with the backdrop of the iconic Midland Hotel.
Visitors will be taken on a journey through truly vintage automotive design. And not to be forgotten, Vintage by the Sea awards the most prestigious vehicle with the Classic Car Best in Show prize!
The Vintage Hair & Beauty Salon
What’s a soul to do after they’ve purchased all their new gear from the Vintage Marketplace?
The Vintage Hair & Beauty Salon provides makeovers to keep you vintage-fabulous, day and night, with looks from the 1920s to the 1980s. Think vintage styles from 30s finger wave, 50s cat-eyeliner and red lips, 60s bouffant beehives, 70s Farrah Fawcett flicks and 80s New Romantic curls.
Vintage by the Sea After Party
The Vintage by the Sea After Party brings Britain’s distinctive dance culture and DJ history to the fore by paying respect to our rich club culture and the DJs that have shaped it.
Street Food
Sample evocative street food from our finest mobile eateries, serving everything from gourmet hot dogs to wood fired pizza and seafood paella to loaded burgers. Sweet tooth? We’ve got you covered with handmade ices and cakes galore!
Vintage Fairground
Step back in time and rejoice in old time family fun. The Vintage Fairground is returning to Morecambe Bay, bringing a collection of Heritage fairground rides for all the family!
Vintage Mobile Cinema
Jump on board the Vintage Mobile Cinema, featured in Channel 4’s Amazing Spaces, as it returns to the festival! In 1967, The Ministry of Technology built seven of custom mobile cinema units to tour the country, promoting modern production techniques to British industry.
Fast-forward fifty five years and Vintage by the Sea are very proud to present this this 32 seater cinema that has been carefully and beautifully restored, the last known survivor of the original seven. Inside the cinema, you can watch specially selected footage about the history of nostalgic seaside Morecambe, in a 10-12 minute show reel.
Torch Club Ball
Put on your dancing shoes for a special evening at The Midland Hotel!
Party the night away in this unforgettable extravaganza of early to mid-20th century glamour, transporting you back to a decadent era with energy and style. The Torch Club Ball is a celebration of dance, fashion and cuisine, reliving and honouring a glimmering age of glamour, right in the heart of Morecambe Bay!
To find out more about accommodation packages and to book Torch Club visit www.midlandvintage.com or contact The Midland Hotel: 01524 428370
The Makers’ Market
Come and browse the makers’ market on Saturday, set in the spectacular Winter Gardens. Carefully selected by Hopeful & Glorious, master makers sell the very best of handmade and upcycled craft, paying homage to vintage style, kitsch and nostalgia. A treasure trove of unique and unexpected one of a kind items await!
Melodrome Music Stage
Enjoy a weekend of free live music from the one of a kind Melodrome Music Stage! With an energetic and dance-fueling mixture of contemporary favourites with a nostalgic twist, to straight up feet tapping soulful classics with fans that span generations, a unique good time tonic for all!
Bradford to Morecambe Car Rally
From Bentleys to Buicks, you’ll be able to feast your eyes on over 100 vintage cars arriving along the promenade in a grand cavalcade to the Bay area, as they finish the route of this traditional 130 miles round trip rally. For one day only, you’ll be able to see this historic parade of classic cars, bikes and buses glide across the magnificent backdrop of Morecambe Bay. (Sunday Only)
Plus much much more…
Keep checking back as we continue to update our programme with more exciting content!
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