An East Yorkshire seaside town will be over-run by pirates this summer.

At least that is the hope of organisers of Withernsea Pirate Festival, a day of swashbuckling fun on the seafront. Everyone will be invited to dress in pirate finery (there will be prizes for the best) and to engage in fun, games, dancing, singing and more.

As well as pirate games, poets and storytellers, there will be live bands, stalls, glitter face painting and tattoos, and hair braiding, not forgetting the resort’s own answer to Jack Sparrow, Scallywag Jack, leading a pirate parade. Withernsea Pirate Festival comes to town on Saturday, July 19, and follows on from the success of a debut event last summer.

Sarah Bogg, one of the Withernsea Pirate Festival crew and wife of Scallywag Jack, aka Gary Bogg, said: “We want this to be a regular event in Withernsea. We want this year’s pirate festival to be even bigger and better than last year’s.”

The crew, including fellow pirates Will and Lin Wilson, are looking for support from the local community, through help with funding and by offering hands-on assistance, to create an event that it is hoped will draw pirates “from miles around”, like Whitby’s annual pirate festival. “We’re asking, are there some small businesses that might like a stall, at £5 a time?

“The more things that are happening, the better,” she said. “The plan is to bring even more people into Withernsea.

“We hope there are lots more pirates all dressed up for a fun-filled day in the sun. This year the festival will open with a big pirate parade into the main festival area at Valley Gardens.”

The free entertainment will run from noon to 4.30pm, with music from “some amazing local bands” into the evening, and a fully licensed bar. Sarah said she and her family started out going to other pirate festivals.

“Withernsea’s a beautiful area but it doesn’t get seen by people. I think the festival is something that will brighten the area and get people more interested from all over.”

The main sponsors for the 2025 Withernsea Pirate Festival are the Sir James Reckitt Foundation, Withernsea Lions and Withernsea Buffs. Find out more about the event and how you can support it on Facebook and at the festival website.

You can see pictures below from last year’s Withernsea Pirate Festival and of some of the people who go all-out pirate for such an occasion.

READ MORE: Return of popular Yorkshire Puffin Festival

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An internationally recognised vintage motoring spectacular, Race the Waves, is heading back to Bridlington’s South Bay next month.

The event, which is organised by Backfire alongside the East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Visit East Yorkshire, will see an array of vintage vehicles racing in pairs along a 200-yard beach course.

The truly unique spectacle, which first took place in 2018, promises to thrill vintage vehicle and motor racing enthusiasts, coastal visitors and local residents alike. The popular event will run from Thursday, June 12, to Sunday, June 15, with the highlight being the two days of beach racing on the Saturday and Sunday.

Attractions will also include a static Auto-Show, organised by Bridlington Lions, on South Marine Drive, directly above the beach racing, where a variety of vintage and classic vehicles will be on display. Entertainment will be provided by a Bridlington Gold Radio Roadshow and The Bridlington Red Admirals Majorettes, with a selection of refreshments and community run stalls.

There’s no charge to enjoy the beach racing or the Auto-Show. The Auto-Show area offers a great vantage point to watch the action on the beach, although the best opportunities are along Princess Mary Promenade.

Car parking will be suspended with a road closure in operation on South Marine Drive/Kingston Road (from the junction of Cardigan Road to Shaftesbury Road) on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 June, from 7am to 7pm.

The Spa will also be hosting the WSW Steampunk Emporium that same weekend, which will be open from 10am to 4pm on the Saturday and Sunday. It will take place in the Royal Hall, where there will be entertainment, presentations, workshops, authors and stalls selling Steampunk accessories. Admission is free.

Councillor Barbara Jefferson, cabinet member for heritage and coastal at East Riding of Yorkshire Council said: “Set against the stunning backdrop of South Bay, Race The Waves is a real spectacle that’s always a huge hit with vintage vehicle and motoring enthusiasts, as well as with day trippers, holiday makers and residents.

“This year, the Steampunk Emporium event is a fantastic addition to the weekend’s festivities. Visitors are guaranteed a completely free, fun-filled, family day out.”

Schedule for Race the Waves:

Thursday, June 12, 10.00am to 3pm: There will be a Yesteryears Day vehicle gathering at Burton Fleming Village Hall, supported by a display of rural machinery.

Friday, June 13, 10am to 10pm: There will be lots of vehicles and motorcycles to see on Church Green in Bridlington Old Town. This is a great opportunity for local people to meet some of the racers and see the vehicles up close. Bridlington Gold Radio will be providing entertainment. Please note that parking will be suspended and there will a road closure at Church Green and on part of Kirkgate from 6am to 7pm.

Saturday, June 14: The stalls on South Beach Promenade will be open from 10am and the beach racing begins around 11.00am and will finish around 4.00pm, subject to conditions on the beach.

Sunday,June 15: The stalls will be open from 10am and the racing will begin at 12 noon and will finish around 4.30pm.

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A Hull musician with an interesting style of playing is delighted to be releasing his first single.

Keir Lammas strums his guitar upside down. That is to say he plays a right-handed guitar, but is left-handed, so it may appear to be somewhat awkward from the audience perspective but feels completely natural to Keir, 29, of east Hull.

With a small but loyal following – and one that is growing the more Keir’s name pops up at venues in and around Hull – the acoustic guitarist and singer is looking forward to sharing in the release of his new single, Bittersweet, with a launch party at The People’s Republic, in Newland Avenue, on Wednesday, June 18, from 8pm.

“There’ll be three other local acts on the bill, and it’s going to be a great night,” said Liam, who first took up the guitar aged ten or 11. “I’m MC-ing as well, it’s a way of giving back to the community.”

He said: “Growing up, we didn’t have a lot of money and the only guitar available to me was right-handed. Being left-handed, I taught myself how to play a right-handed guitar and that’s how I’ve continued – it’s now become a little USP – and people are always asking me about it.”

Keir, an ex-Royal Navy submariner, said: “I’ve always been able to sing but was never confident enough to go out there or anything. I bought a house in east Hull, had some time on my hands and thought, ‘let’s try to do something with this’.

“I’ve always had an issue with anxiety, I wanted to combat that and get more confident in situations. I started doing open mic nights at the Adelphi, Hoi and Arthouse and it went down well.”

Keir said it was a “very, very welcoming scene” and he felt “very at home, performing”. His appearances have helped him make contacts in the industry and he has now recorded Bittersweet with Fairview Studios in East Yorkshire.

“It only took two takes,” said the singer, who writes all of his own work and describes his musical style as between folk and country. Keir will be one of the acts at Cottingham Springfest, on Friday, May 23, when he will perform a set at The Back Room, at 8.45pm.

He will be debuting at The Sesh, the regular live music night at The Polar Bear in Hull, on Tuesday, June 10. “It’s honestly unreal,” he said.

“It’s lovely, the fact I can sing about things that might have happened in my own life and other people can relate to that.” You can find out more about Keir on his Instagram page or on Facebook.

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Registration opens this week for Bridlington 5K and its Fun Run.

Taking place on Sunday, September 14, on Bridlington South Beach, competitors will run south from an area of beach near the lifeboat slipway and finish back in front of Richie’s Café. Spectators can watch from both the beach or promenade area and there are trophies up for grabs in both races.

The event can accept runners entering on the day, however, there are a limited amount of race numbers available. Participants are therefore encouraged to sign up when registration opens on Friday, May 23.

In both races, fancy dress is optional, however it’s worth noting that there’s a trophy for the best costume.

Councillor Nick Coultish, East Riding of Yorkshire Council ’s cabinet member for leisure and tourism, said: “We are thrilled to welcome back the Bridlington Beach 5km and Fun Run this September.

‘’This event not only promotes a healthy and active lifestyle but also brings our community together in a celebration of fitness and fun.

‘’Whether you’re a seasoned runner or just looking to enjoy a beautiful day at the beach, we encourage everyone to participate and support this fantastic event and we look forward to seeing you there.”

What will the route be and at what time?

Following on from its huge success in the first three years, the run will follow a similar route along the beach and coastline. However, due to more favourable tide-times this year, the run will take place on firmer sand.

The Fun Run will start at 11am which is a slightly later start. This is due to tide times.

The 5K will also be slightly later due to start times. It will begin at 11:30am.

How much does it cost to enter?

The price to enter the Fun Run is £3. To register, click here.

Meanwhile, the price to enter the 5K is £15 and you can register here. All participants will receive a t-shirt, water bottle and a medal.

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Bongo’s Bingo is heading to Hull this Friday in what promises to be an unforgettable event.

Since beginning in Liverpool back in 2015, Bongo’s Bingo has expanded across the UK. Selling over five million tickets in more than 40 locations, people just can’t seem to get enough.

If you’ve never been to Bongo’s Bingo, expect traditional bingo combined with dance-offs, rave intervals and audience participation, with the chance of winning prizes.

A spokesperson for Bongo’s Bingo said: “It unites people from all walks of life in a wild social extravaganza. There’s truly nowhere else like Bongo’s Bingo to be immersed in hours of pure escapism and a gigantic dollop of nostalgia.”

Better yet, there’s still tickets up for grabs when the event comes to Asylum at Hull University Union on Friday, May 23.

Doors open from 6pm with last entry at 7:30pm. To get tickets or for more information, head to www.bongosbingo.co.uk.

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Hull’s Unthinkable short film festival is now open for submissions from first-time and experienced film-makers.

The short film festival, which takes place every October, is in its third year and will run from October 1 to 12. Keaton B McD, the festival’s creative director, said: “We’re looking for entrants from first-time and experienced film makers alike.

“There are no boundaries or expectations. The main thing we’re looking for is film with an original flare in some capacity.

“This can be through direction, performance, lighting script – anything goes. The only criteria is that films have to be under 20 minutes.”

Keaton said: “The festival is known for its strange stories and experimental content – and that is something we will continue to celebrate.” This year’s festival will be hosting an exciting programme of film screenings, local and professional artist Q&As, film-making and music workshops, industry professional masterclasses and mentorships, arts exhibitions and live music at venues throughout the city.

Unthinkable was set up as a CIO (charitable incorporated organisation) and works with a number of venues in the city, including Hull Truck Theatre, Humber Street Gallery, The Polar Bear and the University of Hull. The festival is sponsored by Wykeland and welcomes other sponsors to get in touch.

On how the festival began, Keaton said: “Short film festivals exist in nearly every city around the world. Myself and a group of other local film-makers couldn’t work out why there wasn’t one in Hull – so we started it.

“We wanted it to reflect the identity of the city and the art scene that has always been here producing some of the most influential artists in the world. We are trying to build the festival into a platform for grassroots film-makers and artists – both locally and internationally.

“Over the past two years I’ve seen people dancing with dinosaurs, a murder confession, an entire cinema start singing sea shanties, tears of laughter, fear and sorrow, ten people beating rubbish with sticks, surprise ukulele performances and some of the biggest DJs in the world playing a set to a bewildered audience on Hull Fair waltzers.”

Short film submissions are open to the public via the Unthinkable FilmFreeway page and for more information on all things Unthinkable Film Festival, please visit the website and keep up-to-date through following social media channels @unthinkable.hull

Submission deadlines are throughout the summer with the final deadline on July 31, 2025. Lower entry costs are available the earlier you submit.

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A larger-than-ever weekend of fun is promised with the return of the Yorkshire Puffin Festival to the east coast.

The spectacular Flamborough Cliffs nature reserve, north of Bridlington, forms the backdrop of activities, all geared to enjoying the region’s own visiting “sea parrots”. Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s (YWT) annual puffin event is back for a seventh year and will include puffin-watching; a range of wildlife walks; boat trips; workshops on how to photograph puffins and other wildlife; activities run by The Deep, a range of wellbeing sessions and more.

The event takes place over the weekend of June 7 and 8. David Craven, east regional manager for YWT, said: “The return of puffins to Flamborough Cliffs is one of my favourite times of year, and a spectacle I think everyone should enjoy at least once.

“They’re such characterful birds with their bright beaks and tuxedo-like markings, whizzing to and from the cliffs, such a joyous sight to see – and a fantastic and accessible way to get into wildlife-watching more broadly. Our events programme at Puffin Festival this year is the biggest yet, and we are delighted that so many organisations are coming together to help us celebrate our amazing Yorkshire seabirds – and to give them the vital support they need.”

The warming of the North Sea through climate change means puffins are having to travel further afield to find sand eels, their main food source. Although the colony at Flamborough is said to be holding steady, Mr Craven said: “It is only a matter of time, if things don’t change, before we start to see our puffins struggling.

“These wonderful birds need our help, through protection of their fishing grounds and food supply to their fragile marine habitat, so we’ll be helping people to find out how to take action over the weekend too.” Children can enjoy meeting Cliff, the giant cuddly puffin mascot, making puffin puppets and storytelling sessions.

The cliffs from Filey to Bridlington are home to the largest mainland seabird breeding colony in the UK, including 3,000 puffins. June is the perfect time to see puffins on the cliffs, accessible just a short walk along a clifftop path from North Landing, as they return from a winter at sea, find their lifelong mate and stay for just a few weeks to raise their puffling – a baby puffin.

Some activities, including the boat trips, require pre-booking, but there will be lots happening to drop-in or book on the day. The festival Puffin HQ to find out more will be based at North Landing, where parking and refreshments are also available.

Information is also available on YWT’s webpage including details for booking. If you cannot get to the coast for the Yorkshire Puffin Festival, there is plenty to enjoy online at ywt.org.uk/puffin-festival where you can also become a Puffin Protector.

Download your free pack full of puffin facts, activities to do at home, advice on where to see them, puffin-themed gifts and competitions, and actions to protect puffins.

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A cricket club first established in Hull almost 130 years ago is “having a real push” to get more children involved in playing the sport.

Hull Zingari Cricket Club, based in Chanterlands Avenue, was formed in 1896 and introduced junior cricket in 1977. Its under-17 league extended to under-15, under-13 and below in the 1990s and the club today offers development programmes from six years old.

Now, the club is on a drive to interest more youngsters in the sport through softball cricket sessions, for ages up to 13. “This year we are having a real push on trying to get more children involved in playing sports, including actively trying to encourage more girls to become involved in cricket,” a spokesperson said.

“We’re running free softball every Friday from 6pm to 7pm until the end of the season. Softball cricket sessions are used as a relaxed introduction to cricket without the ball being hard and hurting!

“It provides a friendly atmosphere where children can begin to develop co-ordination, strength, fitness and their understanding of structured games. Regular exercise and social interaction is proven to contribute towards positive mental health and wellbeing.

“Our aim is for children to start developing cricket skills in a safe environment and encourage them to participate in team sports and make friends.” There is no limit to the number of potential new participants as there are already up to three coaches available to run the sessions and this would be increased as needed.

The spokesperson said: “The coaches are volunteering because we believe that cricket should be an accessible game for all. We have Snehal Kauthankar volunteering for some sessions; he’s a professional overseas player who has joined us for the season.

“The focus is on increasing participation in cricket for children overall. However, we are also actively encouraging girls to join sessions and enjoy cricket and are starting a girls’ training programme, Girls Dynamos.”

To find out more, visit hullcricket.co.uk or email info@hullcricket.co.uk. You can also find Hull Zingari Cricket Club on social media.

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A popular presenting duo on Hits Radio in East Yorkshire have formally announced their upcoming departure from the station.

Alex Duffy and Nicola Lashley have hosted the weekday breakfast show Alex and Nicola in the Morning for several years. Their final show is scheduled to be broadcast on Friday, June 6, they announced earlier this week.

They followed the news with a farewell message posted to the pair’s social media accounts. Alex told listeners he had been doing the show for ten years and had “loved every second of it”.

An emotional-sounding Nicola, who has had three years presenting the show, said she had “never been welcomed so much as I have here” and Alex asked if she was okay. He said: “It’s been one of those secrets you have to hold for reasons and to be able to tell you now is … it’s nice to have that off us.”

Nicola said the duo’s last four weeks of hosting together would include Alex’s 40th birthday. She said: “It’s going to be good and these next four weeks, we are quite literally going out with a party.”

The breakfast show, along with other regional versions, will be replaced with a single national programme to be co-hosted by Fleur East, Will Best and James Barr and broadcast across the entire Hits Radio network. Parent company Bauer Media confirmed that it would scrap local and regional breakfast shows on all of its Hits Radio stations for the whole of England and Wales from June 9, in a statement earlier this year.

Both Alex and Nicola began broadcasting on Viking FM, as it was then known, which rebranded to Hits Radio in April of last year. They announced their departure as part of their programme on Wednesday, meaning the end of the last remaining locally produced show on the station.

Following the announcement, the pair received an outpouring of support on social media. One woman described how sad she was to hear the news having “moved to East Yorkshire two years ago” and how listening to the show “really helped” her to “settle in and get to know the area and community”.

She suggested the “bosses who have made this choice” do not “realise the impact local hosts have”. Another described it as a “dreadful decision” while another claimed she would now have to do her job “in silence” as “no other radio show comes close”.

In a report by the Daily Express earlier this year, Simon Myciunka, CEO of Bauer Media Audio UK, said: “We continually evolve to meet audience behaviours and advertiser needs and by launching one single national Breakfast show across Hits Radio, we are supercharging our efforts to provide a more unified, engaging experience across the entire schedule while also retaining local news and information.

“I’d like to extend my thanks to our Hits Radio Breakfast teams in England and Wales as they embark on their final run of shows. Their significant contribution has played a hugely important part of the Hits Radio story so far and we wish them well for the future.”

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Yorkshire Wolds Railway (YWR) at Fimber in East Yorkshire is celebrating its tenth anniversary since opening to the public.

To mark the milestone and a decade of dedication, restoration, and community, the railway attraction is inviting visitors old and new to join in a day of free travel on Sunday, May 25 at the Fimber Halt site. The idea for opening a heritage railway was first suggested at the inaugural meeting on October 10, 2008.

The sum of £24,000 was then needed to be raised for the planners’ feasibility study so construction could be started in preparation for the grand opening on May 25, 2015 by Sir Tatton Sykes. Since then, the YWR has grown from a passionate vision to a heritage railway destination, preserving a key piece of local railway history on the former Malton & Driffield Junction Railway.

Entirely volunteer-run, the railway has welcomed thousands of visitors, offering a unique glimpse into East Yorkshire’s rail heritage with regular train rides, and an informative visitor centre. Phil Robson, financial director, said: “We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved over the past ten years.

“This anniversary is a testament to the hard work of our volunteers and the amazing support from the local community and all visitors who keep the railway running. We can’t wait to celebrate with everyone who have been part of our journey and we thought offering free travel as a thank you for the day was a great way to do that.

“Visitors will also be able to see progress on the UK Shared Prosperity Funded Visitor Centre and Working Facility along with the many improvements to the site, including the new shop”. The YWR is always keen to involve new people, and anyone interested in becoming a member or volunteering, making a donation or just finding out more can visit the Yorkshire Wolds Railway website or call 01377 338053 for more information.

The YWR will be running trains and opening the visitor centre every Sunday and Bank Holiday until the end of October and every Wednesday during school holidays from 10am to 4pm. All trains run subject to availability.

The visitor centre only will be open every Wednesday until the end of October, 10am to 4pm. Additionally, there are members on site most Saturdays who will be happy to show what is being done, subject to safety requirements.

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