Arts on the Beach
Saturday and Sunday
15 & 16 June 2024
A free family weekend of street theatre, aerial performance, dance, music and creative workshops. And... a 13-foot roaming puppet. Our first Arts on the Beach event took place on the 9 & 10 September.
The line up
What happened in 2023
Tipping Point
From 11am and 1.10pm. A powerful and dynamic aerial dance duet.
DAWN
At 11.15am, Hall for Cornwall Youth Dance Company presents DAWN.
Out of the Deep Blue
11.30am, 1.40pm and 4pm. Meet Eko, a 13 metre tall giant puppet.
On the Strandline
From 12.25pm, performance and parkour come together.
Roaming theatre
All day. Be sure to stop Captain O'Goldie, Detrius of the Deep and Lagoona Lowtide for a chat.
Whisper
From 3.15pm. Hall for Cornwall Youth Dance Company presents Whisper.
Seadogs
From 3.45pm, a tall tale from the true story of Cornwall’s greatest pirate: Lady Mary Killigrew.
Silent Disco
From 5pm. Come join hundreds of others and dance on the sand as the sun sets.
Meet Eko's creator from Autin Dance Theatre
We caught up with Johnny Autin – creative director of Birmingham-based Autin Dance Theatre, to find out more about the cheeky ocean spirit Eko, touring sustainably, and performing in Cornwall for the first time.
Sunday line up
What happened in 2023
Bathing Belles
From 11am and 2.50pm, a 1950’s style choreography, faux synchronised swimming, and lots of bubbles.
DAWN
At 11.15am, Hall for Cornwall Youth Dance Company presents DAWN.
Out of the Deep Blue
11.30am, 1pm and 3pm. Meet Eko, a 13 metre tall giant puppet.
On the Strandline
From 12.25pm and 2pm, performance and parkour come together.
Whisper
From 2.30pm. Hall for Cornwall Youth Dance Company presents Whisper.
City of Lights promenade
4pm. A parade down to the sea of a giant willow sea turtle.
Old Time Sailors
From 5pm. Travel back in time with an unforgettable musical trip to the 19th century.
Workshops and spaces
A giant sea turtle made of willow, bubble-powered pedal bikes and bushcraft activities by Watergate Bay Beach School.
Craft workshops and bubble bikes
A weekend of crafting inspired by the sea. Jump aboard pedal-powered bubble bikes for a ‘bubble bike boogie’.
Giant fish make & march
Meet the artists and create a community lantern to accompany and join the giant fish procession on Sunday.
Cetus the Whale
Drop in workshops making mermaids tails out of helix knots, created from abandoned rope washed up on the beach.
Beach school, Kids' Zone
There will be three different creative stations for children to join and a pirate ship for story times throughout the day. As well as a bubble station for giant bubbles and wands.
Shallal chill out tent
Shallal inclusive arts charity will be hosting a peaceful drop in space throughout the weekend.
Supported by
Beach food and drink
There will be some food and drink on the sand from our beach barbecue, No.1 Cubs iced coffee truck, Treleavens ice cream, Load-a-Waffle sweet treats and Harbour beach bar. And at the top of sea lane, woodfired pizzas will be served from midday until sunset.
The Beach Hut is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, cocktails, coffees and cakes. Tables can be booked online.
Please bring your beach rugs and picnics to have on the sand.
FAQ
Everything you need to know about Arts on the Beach.
If your questions are not answered here please email our team.
- Free to attend
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Walk, cycle, catch the bus or park in one of the Watergate Bay car parks.
- What to bring
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Come prepared for a full day at the beach, blankets, chairs, picnics and a towel. It will be hot so bring a hat and suntan lotion. We're a dog friendly beach, please keep dogs under control and away from the performance areas.
The RNLI will be patrolling the beach with swimming zones between the red and yellow flags.
- Dogs are welcome
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On the beach all year round and in The Beach Hut restaurant. During Arts on the Beach please keep your dog under control and away from the performance areas.
- Car parking
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There will be some car parking at Watergate Bay, this is chargable. There is also the Council Car Park. The main event car park is in the field car park towards Newquay, a short walk down the coast path to the beach. The event car park £4.50.
We do have some blue badge car parking spaces in the beach car park.
- 11am to 7pm/ 8pm
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A full programme taking place throughout the day.
Evening entertainment starts at 5pm.Saturday Silent Disco - 5-7pm
Sunday Old Time Sailors - 5-8pm
- Saturday and Sunday evening
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Saturday - Silent Disco, 5 - 7pm
Sunday - Old Time Sailors, 5 - 8pm
- Food & Drink
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There will be some food and drink on the sand from our beach barbecue, No.1 Cubs iced coffee truck, Treleavens ice cream, Load-a-Waffle sweet treats and Harbour beach bar. And at the top of sea lane, woodfired pizzas will be served from midday until sunset.
The Beach Hut is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, cocktails, coffees and cakes. Tables can be booked online.
Please bring your beach rugs and picnics to have on the sand.
- Public toilets
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Are across the road by the bus stop
- Surf lessons
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Available with Wavehunters all weekend, book here.
- Access to the hotel
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For hotel guests during the event
- The Beach Hut
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is open and taking reservations book a table.
Find us
Our address
Watergate Bay Hotel, On the beach, Watergate Bay, Cornwall TR8 4AA
By road
Leave the A30 to take the exit for the Highgate Hill Roundabout and take the 3rd exit for the A39 towards Wadebridge & Newquay. At the Halloon roundabout, take the third exit, continuing on the A39 towards Wadebridge. At the next roundabout take the 1st exit onto the A3059, signposted to St Mawgan and the Airport. After about 1 miles turn right to St Mawgan and the Airport. At the B3276 ‘T’ junction, turn left to Watergate. Postcode for Sat Nav guidance: TR8 4AA
Parking
There are two car parks in Watergate Bay, a small one by the beach and a larger council-run car park. Both are chargeable. We advise you to use the car park at the top of the hill and walk down the coastal path for access to the beach.
Bike
Cycle the 3 miles from Newquay to Watergate Bay for traffic-free and hassle-free parking, please lock your bike up responsibly.
Bus
The 56 bus stops in Watergate Bay from Newquay or Padstow.
By rail
Direct to Newquay station, or to the mainline station of Bodmin and St. Austell. For more information visit First Great Western
Plane
With nine airlines, flying from 19 destinations, you can fly directly to Newquay from major cities like London, Manchester, Dublin, Edinburgh and Newcastle (to name just a few!). The runway quite literally meets Watergate Bay – only a 6-minute drive away from your stay.
To make your journey as smooth as possible, Cornwall Airport Newquay recommend booking your flights in advance.
Discover more
Round-up: Arts on the Beach
Children bounced to the beat, air-borne dancers soared and towering puppets stopped revellers in their...
Line up for Arts on the Beach
A guide to our performances and workshops taking place over our Arts on the Beach...
Meet Eko's creator, Johnny Autin
Meet the creator of Eko, a playful four-metre sea puppet set to roam the beach...