There are food festivals, and then there are food festivals where you can look out across the sea while eating seafood that has come from a fishing fleet working on the very beach where you are standing.
That is rather the appeal of the Hastings Seafood, Wine & Music Festival, which returns to the Stade in Hastings Old Town from Friday 11 to Sunday 13 September 2026.
Set against the distinctive backdrop of Hastings’ historic net huts and Europe’s largest beach-launched fishing fleet, the three-day festival celebrates the best of Sussex and Kent produce, combining fresh seafood, local wines, artisan food and live music. And for 2026 there is a new ingredient in the mix, with each day taking on its own musical theme.
The location is arguably as important as the food.
A Festival on a Real Fishing Beach
The Stade is not a picturesque name borrowed for the occasion. It is the working fishing beach at the heart of Hastings Old Town, with boats still being launched directly from the shingle.
The word ‘Stade’ comes from an old Saxon term meaning a landing place, and fishing boats have been working from this stretch of coastline for more than 1,000 years. Today, the fleet includes more than 25 boats and is recognised as Europe’s largest beach-launched fishing fleet.
It gives the festival a sense of place that is difficult to manufacture. While you are sampling local produce and listening to live music, the fishing boats, net huts and English Channel are all part of the scenery.
The surrounding Old Town adds another layer, with its narrow streets, independent shops, galleries, cafés and historic buildings just moments away.
Three Days, Three Musical Moods
This year’s festival introduces themed music days, so there is a different atmosphere to look forward to depending on when you visit.
Friday 11 September gets the weekend moving with Northern Soul, promising classic floor-fillers, DJs, live performances and plenty of encouragement to get up and dance.
Saturday 12 September changes direction with a full day of Country, Western and Americana, bringing storytelling, toe-tapping rhythms and singalong favourites to the Stade.
Then on Sunday 13 September, the festival moves into Jazz, Ska and Soul, beginning with the popular Jazz Breakfast, headlined by acclaimed jazz singer and pianist Liane Carroll.
It means this is as much a music weekend as a food and drink event, with the programme designed to give each day its own character.
Seafood, Wine and Plenty to Eat
Of course, the food remains very much at the heart of proceedings.
Expect fresh seafood, artisan produce, street food and plenty of Sussex flavours, alongside a wine marquee showcasing local vineyards. There will also be locally brewed beers, craft ales, ciders, spirits and cocktails for those who prefer something other than wine.
Cookery demonstrations are another highlight, with CJ Jackson, the Billingsgate-trained ‘Fish Boss’, sharing her expertise and helping visitors get more adventurous with seafood.
There is something particularly appropriate about learning how to prepare fish while sitting just yards from the boats that have brought generations of Hastings fishermen home with their catch.
The festival is also part of a wider celebration of Hastings’ fishing heritage. Alongside the event, Hastings Contemporary’s Meet the Fleet programme will bring local fishermen and traditional skills to the Stade, including activities around fish smoking, net making and other aspects of the town’s maritime heritage.
A September Weekend by the Sea
The festival runs from 6pm to 10pm on Friday, 11am to 7.30pm on Saturday and 12pm to 6.30pm on Sunday, giving visitors plenty of opportunity to make a full day – or an entire weekend – of it.
Weekend day tickets are available for £10, with individual day tickets also available. There is also the option to book the Sunday Jazz Breakfast separately.
And if you haven’t visited Hastings’ Old Town and the Stade for a while, the festival provides a very good excuse to rediscover them. Wander among the old net huts, watch the fishing boats being hauled up the beach, explore Rock-a-Nore Road and the Old Town, and then settle down with a glass of Sussex wine and something delicious from the sea.
It is difficult to imagine a more appropriate setting for a festival celebrating Hastings’ relationship with the sea.
The Hastings Seafood, Wine & Music Festival takes place at the Stade Open Space, Rock-a-Nore Road, Hastings Old Town, from 11–13 September 2026.
For tickets and the full programme, visit Stade Events.
(All images © Stade Events)
