Frequently Asked Questions

In the beautiful seaside community of St Martins, New Brunswick, Canada. The village is located just 30 km east of the Saint John Airport.

We drop anchor from Friday, August 9 to Sunday, August 11, 2024.

The festival is a celebration of the songs that were sung by sailors during the age of sail. These songs, and the stories they tell, need to be shared and kept alive! With a strong connection to shipbuilding and seafaring in the rich local history, what better place to do this than the stunning seaside community of St. Martins!? While these types of festivals are huge in Europe, we are one of only two such festivals held in Canada. The many activities we offer are related to the sea, and for our mainstage music we strive to achieve a minimum of 70% shanties and songs of the sea. Check our About Page for even more info, or better yet...Join us this summer!

On Friday, August 9, we'll kick-off at 4:00pm with Seafood Chowder & Shanties at the Caves Restaurant. We've got a few other activities lined up, followed by our Shanty Pub at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #63 on Main Street in St. Martins at 8:00 PM. Our workshops and Main Stage performances are on Saturday and Sunday with the final performance ending at 6:30 PM on Sunday. Check our schedule for all the performance and event times and locations.

We have fifteen performers and groups joining us from as close as the Maritimes and Ontario - to as far away as England. For the complete list of performers, click here.

Yes indeed! The clan from Cape Breton will be our festival closer. Those holding Weekend or Sunday-only passes will get to see them, but you can also purchase Barra MacNeil Only tickets. If you opt for that ticket keep in mind that you can't enter the amphitheatre until 4:00 PM that day. Check out your ticket options here.

Lawn chairs for the Main Stage performances are a great idea or, if you like, you can sit on the grass. This is an outdoor festival and the weather will have to be torrential for us to move indoors, so bring any necessary gear for wet weather; however, we will have a number of tents set up just in case. Water, hat & sunscreen – Stay hydrated and protected from the sun! Your tickets – remember to bring along your proof of purchase.

To inquire about becoming a vendor at the festival, send a short pitch about your product/business via email to ahoy@fundyseashantyfest.com. Please submit your applications early as vendor placements are determined well in advance of the event; in fact, we might already be at capacity - just sayin’.

So happy you asked! We need many volunteers – they are essential to our success. If you’re interested in joining our team, please email fundyseashantyfest@gmail.com with your interest and availability. And there are benefits to being a volunteer, depending on the number of hours you commit, but at least you get a free music pass for the day(s) you are on task, plus a festival t-shirt!

Early Bird Pricing runs from April 1, 2024 until July 1, 2024. Once that date has passed, the price remains the same up until the festival begins. You can purchase: Our Prince Leopold Pass (Friday to Sunday plus swag). A Weekend pass (Saturday and Sunday) for the Main Stage. Individual, Saturday or Sunday, music passes. *New this Year* Our Barra MacNeils only pass. If you wish to participate in workshops/activities you will need to register for them individually. You can actually participate in most of our activities without having a music pass, but, hey, you’ll be missing out on some great music. For more details on tickets and their prices, please click here (available April 1, 2024).

Tickets for Fundy Sea Shanty Festival can be purchased online through Eventbrite or by visiting our Tickets page.

Yes, single-day passes are available and prices can be found by visiting our Tickets page.

Any child aged 12 or younger can enter the festival grounds at no cost. Any individual over 12 can purchase a regular ticket. We have given the senior discount to everyone – it’s part of the pricing.

VIP passes are reserved for representatives from our major festival sponsors, and yes, they have preferred seating in our VIP tent. If you see someone sporting a VIP pass, please give them a thank-you. It is through their generous support that we are able to offer the programming we do.

Tickets bought online through Eventbrite can be sent to the purchaser electronically or by mail. Those details are provided at time of purchase.

Not to worry, we do have your name on a list but we ask that you bring along proof of purchase if at all possible to avoid wait times during the admission process.

Yes, tickets will be available assuming we don’t sell out. If it is August and you don’t have your tickets but plan to attend, contact us through our website to ensure we still have some.

This fabulous event is happening rain or shine. If you can’t use your ticket we can’t give you a refund (refer to policy on Eventbrite), but please feel free to pass it along to someone who can enjoy it. A credit for next year’s festival is also a possibility, but you’ll need to contact us.

Yes, once your ticket is scanned at either the 4 Seasons Complex or the Main Stage site you will receive a wristband. This will allow you admittance at any point throughout the day(s) for which you have purchased a ticket.

St. Martins is home to a number of restaurants and, of course, seafood is readily available. We will also have food vendors on site, featuring a wide variety of options.

Indeed there will be and we’re calling it Harbour Bazaar, and you don’t need a ticket to access the site. It will be located across from the Main Stage area (behind the lighthouse Visitor Information Center.)

That be true, matey. We’ll have water available for pass holders at the amphitheater, courtesy of one of our wonderful sponsors: Costco.

It’s located at the Merch Tent in the Vendors Village, across from the Main Stage area.

We will have several portable toilets at the music venue and Vendors Village. Washroom facilities are also located at the 4 Seasons Complex and the Visitor Information Center as well as the various workshop locations.

Yes, but they must be properly harnessed and exercised well away from the seating area. Please clean up after your pets. If your dog tends to howl during fo’c’s’le shanties then perhaps this is not the right festival for your pet.

Our festival is located about 40 km from the east-side of Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. The towns of Quispamsis and Hampton are approximately the same distance from St. Martins.

You can find directions to the festival site by visiting our Visitors Info page. It has a Google Map embedded too.

We’ve got that taken care of for you! Parking at the Main Stage festival site is extremely limited, so in order to cut down on busy traffic flow and to maintain safety, only vehicles belonging to vendors, performers, and support personnel will be permitted at the site. Parking is available at the 4 Seasons Complex at the west end of the village and a shuttle will be making regular runs to and from the site on Saturday and Sunday. Find shuttle info here.

Indeed there is. Our shuttle will be running continuously on Saturday and Sunday and will be making stops throughout the village. A special thanks to ANBL for making this happen! Find the shuttle schedule and stops throughout the village here.

Yes, you did. Buses will be leaving the Days Inn and Delta Hotel in Saint John on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and we’ll get you back. There is no fee for this service, courtesy of our friends at the ANBL Safe Ride Program, but it is reserved for music pass holders only. You must reserve your seat before July 31, 2024 through Eventbrite. Click here for the bus schedule.

St Martins is home to historic Inns, campgrounds and a variety of AirBnB’s, but accommodations fill up early. If you are having trouble securing a place to stay, contact us through the website, we might be able to help out. Our sponsor accommodations include Fundy Woods Campground and Century Farm Family Campground. You can also check a list of local accommodations here. Also, the Days Inn by Wyndham and the Delta Hotel in Saint John have preferred rates for festival goers (available until June 10, 2024 for the Days Inn and July 9, 2024 for the Delta), and we have buses to get you back and forth. Check that out on our Visitors Page.

Yes they are. Our Main Stage area as well as the Vendors Village are flat green spaces with gravel paths. Our workshop venues are also wheelchair friendly.

Yes, we have limited accessible parking next to the white fence by the Main Stage area. This is available for those who possess a government issued handicap parking pass. It might be a good idea to let us know you are coming to ensure we have enough spaces.

Sorry it is not, but as mentioned above, we have reserved parking by the Main Stage area.

Of course, registered service animals are permitted on the festival grounds, as long as they are properly harnessed.

Yes, in the Vendors Village next to the gazebo. Also, ANB (Ambulance NB) has a station in St Martins.

We have that covered. Shadow Security, a professional service, will be on-site and supported by numerous volunteers. They will be wearing easily identifiable shirts. If you need help, look for Shadow Security or a member of our crew.

We will uphold any provincial mandates, and we have limited our seating capacities in the event we will be required to implement physical distancing regulations.

Bags and backpacks are permitted, as well as food, travel mugs, sports bottles, etc. Any non-alcoholic beverages are permitted also; however, they should be unopened. NO alcohol or drugs are permitted. Festival gate security and event staff have the right to search any items brought on site.,