Arts on the Beach
Saturday and Sunday
15 & 16 June 2024
A free family weekend of whale theatre, aerial performance, dance, music and creative workshops. And... a 13-foot roaming puppet. Our second Arts on the Beach takes place this June.
Watch the 2023 film ↓
The line up
Out of the Deep Blue
Meet Eko, a 13 metre tall giant puppet.
City of Lights promenade
A parade down to the sea of a giant willow lobster.
The Whale
Seafaring tales told from the inside of a whale by Circo Rum Ba Ba.
No Time for Waste dance
H&T Creative presents No Time to Waste.
Stilt walkers
Roaming stilt walkers from Hotch Potch Theatre and Vicky Bartlett.
Everywhere’s a Beach
Hikapee Circus Theatre presents Everywhere's a Beach aerial circus performance
Jack
Hall for Cornwall Youth Dance Company present dance piece Jack, inspired by Jack and the Beanstalk
Silent Disco
Come join hundreds of others and dance on the sand as the sun sets.
The Whale presented by Circo Rum Ba Ba
A show stopping centrepiece just washed ashore! This 18 metres long whale is has a story to tell. Step inside its seaweed strewn belly to enjoy seafaring tales.
Eko returns for Arts on the Beach 2024
Autin Dance Theatre tell the magical story of Eko, a sea giant who rises from the deep ocean and who encounters, on the shore, a courageous little girl called Violet. This year they will also be hosting some surprise flash mobs for the whole audience to get involved in.
Workshops and spaces
A giant lobster made of willow, craft workshops and upcycled artwork.
Craft workshops
A weekend of crafting inspired by the sea run by the Blystra team
Giant lobster make & march
Meet the artists and create a community lantern to accompany and join the giant lobster procession with City of Light.
Chill out tent
Shallal inclusive arts charity will be hosting a peaceful drop in space throughout the weekend.
Upcycling workshops
Join Upcycle Kernow for traditional skills whilst learning about re-using rubbish.
Beach cleans and workshops
Come along and create mermaid tails with Beach Guardian using marine waste collected from local beaches.
Plastic recycling workshops
Learn how to create a range of items out of recycled plastic with One Blue Eye.
Beach School and creative workshops
A play zone with stories, hula hooping and beach toys with Kids' Zone, and a Beach School set up to learn practical skills like wood whittling.
Face painting
Local facepaint artist Justine will return to Arts on the Beach.
Performance workshops
Daily theatre and dance workshops led by a variety of performers from across the weekend.
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.
Supported by
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.
- Food & 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.
- 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
Meet Eko's creator, Johnny Autin
Meet the creator of Eko, a playful four-metre sea puppet set to roam the beach...
Line up for Arts on the Beach
A guide to our performances and workshops taking place over our Arts on the Beach...
Round-up: Arts on the Beach
Children bounced to the beat, air-borne dancers soared and towering puppets stopped revellers in their...