The popular Barry Festival of the Sea will move to Newport in 2025 due to funding issues and logistical challenges.
They explored options with local council members and discussed the 2025 event possibilities. The response was not encouraging, making the festival too expensive. They wanted a shanty festival by the sea. The 2024 event was special, and the RNLI Barry helped make it happen.
The festival might return to Barry someday, but they must find the best options now. This ensures bands can perform for free. Barry Festival of the Sea moved to Newport for 2024. Barry Town Council did not comment initially, but The Vale of Glamorgan Council responded.
Councillor Bronwen Brooks spoke for the Vale council, noting they helped with the festival on Barry Island last year for the RNLI’s 200th birthday. The council supported the festival’s return and offered the organizers use of facilities. The organizers, however, chose Newport instead.
Barry Town Council is disappointed the festival moves to Newport for 2025. They funded the 2024 event and hoped it would continue in Barry. However, they were not asked for 2025 funding and hope the event returns later.
Peter Cox organizes the event and leads the Newport Choir, but running the event costs too much. They lack funds for marquees and security; a good sound system is also needed, but they could not raise enough money to do it.
Newport offered a better response, and the weather matters less there. Newport has a town center location, making the event commercially viable, unlike the current situation in Barry. He says it might return in the future. There’s no available money to fund it. The marquee costs about £13,000 alone. The RNLI’s anniversary helped last year, extending the weekend for that event.