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It’s not often you bump into a ‘real’ mermaid at a swimming pool. But that’s what happened to awe-struck youngsters during the first Sheerness Festival of the Sea.
Up to 30 were given the chance to slip on a special tail on Thursday and learn to swim alongside a siren of the deep thanks to the Sheerness Town Team and Specsavers.
There was also a pageant on Sunday to find the town’s first King and Queen of the Sea at the Oasis Academy thanks to Samantha Edgar of the Little Shop of This And That.
Tips on exploring rock pools came from the Medway Swale Estuary Partnership.
The festival also coincided with Sheppey Matter’s Big Bash in Beachfields Park on the Thursday and Free Music Friday in Sheerness Broadway featuring The Bonnevilles, led by Sheppey singer Hannah Bowie-Carlin and the Jo Eden Project which got the crowd singing along to Hi ho Silver Lining.
Six-piece Fiato Ensemble, which performed pieces inspired by the Island on saxophones, flute and violin on a barge during the Whitstable Biennale arts festival, reprised their show and added a medley of Abba hits.
There were guest performances from members of the Minster Music Monday Club which meets at Minster Working Men’s Club and a demonstration from Sittingbourne mum Becki Breiner’s Song Signing Choir.
She is about to launch two more workshops for juniors and seniors at Castle Connections in Queenborough on Fridays and at Warden Village Hall on Wednesdays.
The week-long festivities culminated with the return of the Sheppey Summer Carnival, funfair and free seafront fireworks display on Saturday.
The festival kicked off with the annual Sheppey Sunset Seaside Stroll the previous Saturday and included the launch of artist Richard Jeferies’ display of funny faces at Beachfields on Monday sponsored by Swale council.
There was a guided tour of three museums on the Tuesday beginning at the Cottage of Curiosities in Rose Street. taking in the Eastchurch Aviation Museum and ending at the Blue Town Heritage Centre for cream teas followed by history talks at the Sheppey Little Theatre.
Phil Crowder, who chairs the town team, said: “We wanted to go back in time to when the Sheerness carnival lasted a week and there were fun things to do every day for families. We also wanted to make as many of them free if possible.
“It was very much a pilot to see what could be done. It has been a steep learning curve. We welcome any constructive comments.”
He added: “I’d like to thank everyone who helped and supported us. We’d like this event to become bigger and better, like Rochester’s Dickens Festival or the Faversham Hop Festival.”
The Salvation Army organised free film shows and staged craft events in its hall in Sheerness High Street with help from neighbouring shop Lets Get Crafting.
There were five beach cleans along the seafront which collected 65kg of rubbish. A team from Southern Water travelled from Brighton to take part.
Many shops also decorated their windows with a sea theme. Cuddles ‘n’ Bubbles pet shop picked on the bomb ship the SS Richard Montgomery. “We wanted to make a big impression,” said boss Alec Smith.
Catherine Halliday was voted Sea Queen and Elle Pollard was junior queen. Maxwell Halliday was Junior King but no men entered the senior section. Sam Edgar vowed: “We are determined to find at least one for next year!”
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