St Osyth Summer Sounds festival confirmed for next three years

In August 2025, the first-ever St Osyth Summer Sounds Music and Food Festival took place with the public being treated to musicians, chefs, theatrical acts, and giant puppets.

The festival will now be returning to the St Osyth Priory on Saturday July 18 and Sunday July 19.

Arts Trust Productions, a Tendring-based national cultural organisation, have said the festival is now completely free to attend and is confirmed for the next three years thanks to the National Lottery Community Fund.

Arts Trust is focused on creating high-quality and accessible experiences which bring people together.

This means they are committed to ensuring cost is not a barrier to participation.

Accessible - Arts Trust said they did not want any financial barriers with accessing the arts (Image: Roswitha Chesher)

Set within the surroundings of St Osyth Priory, the two-day family-friendly festival will once again bring together live performance, food, street performances, family activity and large-scale installations.

About 10,000 people will be welcomed across the weekend with more details including artists, chefs and family experiences to be announced in the coming months.

Martin Collins, founder and chief Arts Trust, says: “The first year of St Osyth Summer Sounds gave us real encouragement.

“We saw families spending the day together, young people discovering live performance on their doorstep and communities coming together in a way that felt positive and hopeful.

“By securing the festival for the next three years and removing the financial barrier to entry, we can now build something with real continuity. This is about more than a single weekend. It is about creating opportunities for connection, participation and shared experience that are open to everyone. Being from Tendring ourselves, we are proud to be continuing that work here at St Osyth Priory.”

Venue - The festival will take place at the grounds of the St Oysth Priory (Image: Submitted)

William Grinsted from St Osyth Priory added: “Working alongside Arts Trust and hosting St Osyth Summer Sounds has been a fantastic journey and we are delighted that the event's future is secure.

“It is a great pleasure to support our community and increase access and enjoyment of this world class heritage site and the listed buildings. We work tirelessly to maintain these pieces of our history and to see the site vibrant with families makes the work worthwhile.”

The festival is hosted by Arts Trust Productions in partnership with Tendring District Council, Community Voluntary Services Tendring (CVST), and the Harwich Festival.

Another partner is Creative Tendring, created from a £750,000 award from Arts Council England’s Creative People and Places supported by National Lottery players, who will bring together artists, local organisations, and residents.

Entry and parking are free, with one or two activities requiring a nominal fee to take part.

Further announcements, including headline artists, chefs, family programming and special installations, will follow in the coming months.

Visit stosythsummersounds.co.uk and follow @stosythsummersounds & @arts_trust on Instagram to find out more.