THE TRADITIONAL Cornish celebration of the sea, fishing and seafood in Newlyn promises to be bigger and better than ever.

The organisers of Newlyn Fish Festival on August Bank Holiday Monday say they have secured the largest line-up of local bands and performers that can be found anywhere in the county during one day.

They include Djazz Celtica, the Carn Brea Cloggers, Tom Dale, Halfway Harmony, Bob Devereux, the Clive Palmer Band, Falmouth School Jazz Band, Newlyn Male Choir and the 40-strong Blazing Hearts Chorus.

Festival secretary Steve Ryman said: "The festival is already the biggest of its kind in the country and this year we set out to make it even better in terms of quality and diversity.
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"We have added another music stage to house the biggest line-up of local bands and performers that you'll find anywhere on one day in Cornwall."

The day will be opened by celebrity chef Rick Stein who will also be signing books on the Books Plus stand. In the seafood hall visitors will find a trio of top local chefs including Kier Meikle from the Navy Inn, Penzance, Sanjay Kumar from the Greenbank Hotel, Falmouth and Andy Appleton from the Jamie Oliver-inspired restaurant Fifteen Cornwall in Watergate Bay cooking fish.

Another new feature is the Old Newlyn Marquee which will be showing historic displays from the Newlyn Archive and the Newlyn School of Art, with the Penlee House story-tellers, Liz Harmann and John Wallis, acting out the scenes from Newlyn's past.

Pete Goss with his lugger Spirit Of Mystery returns to Newlyn after his epic journey to Australia last year.

There will also be recent top attractions Happy Return from the Mounts Bay Lugger Association, Barnabas from the Cornish Maritime Trust and Newlyn-based Ripple, lovingly restored to its former glory by its owner John Lambourn.

Also on the water will be gig racing, open fishing boats, coastguard and lifeboats and a sea rescue demonstration by the RNAS Culdrose rescue helicopter.

All around the harbour visitors will also find the usual mix of great music, harbour entertainment, arts, crafts, charities, traditional lobster pot making, Bilbo the life-saving dog, lots of fun for children and plenty of all things fishy.

 article copyright THE CORNISHMAN