Under a blazing sun, the 28th Fish Festival celebrated all things fish!

First of all a huge 'thank you!' from the Festival Committee to all those fishermen, individuals, organisations and businesses who made the day such a great day for all those lucky enough to be there! Also, a special thanks to harbourmaster Rob Parsons for letting us take over the harbour for a Bank Holiday weekend, without the support of the harbour staff and the local fishing community it just wouldn't happen. Hopefully, the lure of the beach on what was probably the best day of the summer won't have affected the overall attendance too badly so that the Fishermen's Mission - for whom the event is all about - won't have lost out on too much!

Photo courtesy of Amy Smith Photography

After last year's first ever trawler parade proved such a success it looks like it is here to stay and all hands thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle the boats make - even though this year all the sardine boats were absent owing to the sardines wiggling their tails last week forcing the fleet to follow them east to Falmouth - such is fishing!

Photo courtesy of Amy Smith Photography

This year saw the first ever liferaft race courtesy of Newline and Ocean Safety which also proved an instant hit with plenty of people already expressing an interest in taking part next year - especially the Sea Scouts! There are some race winner T shirts waiting to be collected - as soon as the winners are tracked down!

When you are confronted by a sky like this at 5:30am you know it's going to be a stunning day...

so as preparations get underway for the first liferaft race ever...

and the RNLI get ready for their book launch...

the huge fish display if donated fish (thanks guys)...

created by Sue and Duncan Lewis with a little help from family and friends...

to raise money for the Mission when it goes under the auctioneer's hammer later in the day...

at 11am the first liferaft race ever sees a team from the Mission and Harbour Commissioners finally get aboard...

photo courtesy of Jordan Price/Penwith College

and all set for the start

and the race is off!...

looks like the winning team...

closely followed by the more mature team...

photo courtesy of Jordan Price/Penwith College

Penwith College did a roaring trade in BBqd fish including line caught pollack...

at 12 the gigs started their parade...

while Duncan from Passionate about Fish extolled the virtues of the humble sardine...

visitors crowded to see Duncan's amazing fish display...

photo courtesy of Jordan Price/Penwith College

or dined on some amazing fish-based dishes like this gigantic seafood paella...

photo courtesy of Jordan Price/Penwith College

or even bought their own fish to take home...

the luggers looked impressive this year and with no wind to speak of all their sails hoisted...

photo courtesy of Charlotte Heaney /Penwith College

while out on the Mary Williams pier there were some entertaining acrobatics going on...

photo courtesy of Charlotte Heaney /Penwith College

along with more traditional music and dance on the Buskers Corner stage...

photo courtesy of Charlotte Heaney /Penwith College

and big band sounds on the main One and Al stage...

at 2pm the Trawler `parade got underway with the Three Jays and Prospector leading the way...

rolling heavily as the safety boat kept ahead proceedings...

from the Maverick's huge wash...

in perfect conditions...

Nigel (nearest) and David went round like a pair of lovebirds...

and the whole, proceedings were watched by one of the few remaining varnished boats in the country...

the Seascan based in Mevagissey who came down especially for the day - it would be great to have more ex-fishing boats like this come for the festival to give people a sense of the history of how boats have changed in size, layout and construction...