Amble Puffin Festival Events 2026
Amble Puffin Festival celebrates everything Puffin! Fun and activities in the Friendliest Port at the best time of year to see the Coquet Island puffins, as they prepare to take care of their newly hatched pufflings.
The festival will include: craft fair, guided nature walks, bird watching, local history and nature talks, arts and crafts, and live music. There will be events to interest all age groups. Events will be held in a variety of locations throughout the town.
For more information on Amble Puffin Festival, contact Julia Aston at Amble Development Trust.
Email: Julia@ambledevelopmenttrust.org.uk
Tel: 01665 712929
Events: Every Day
Please note: Events and times may be subject to change. Some activities are weather dependent.
| Time | Description | Location | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check with boat operators | To see the puffins, and thousands of other seabirds (weather permitting): • Puffin Cruises from the Harbour. Booking essential. Ring 07752 861914. • Amble Boat Trips aboard the Natalie Kristen II. To book, ring Kevin on 07873 752643. • Cassie Rose Puffin Tours. cassierosepuffintoursamble.co.uk/ | Harbour | Check with boat operators |
| 23 May - 7 June | Open art exhibition from Dovecote Street Arts: Amble, Northumberland, England, a contemporary portrait of England today. | Dovecote Centre, Dovecote Street NE65 0DX | Free |
| 11 - 29 May | Amble schools' puffin painting display in shops along Queen Street. SPONSORED BY PUFFIN CRUISES | Queen St | |
| 22 -29 May | Find the Puffin! Which puffin is hiding in which shop? Play using the Festival leaflet | Queen St shops | Free to play. Prizes. |
| 15 May - 5 June | Ganseys galore exhibition | DryWater Arts | Free |
Events: Saturday 23rd May
Please note: Events and times may be subject to change. Some activities are weather dependent.
| Time | Description | Location | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-4pm | Fair in the Square: Arts, crafts, food, community groups and children’s amusements | Town Sq | Free |
| Puffins Ahoy! Livestream of puffins on Coquet Island. SPONSORED BY ALNCOM | Town Sq | Free | |
| 12.30 - 1.30pm | All about Puffins. A chance to ask the RSPB and Coquet Island wardens about the puffins and other wonderful birds and seals on the island. | Town Sq | Free |
| 10.15-12.30 | Quilting for beginners - scissor holder. Join Caroline from Rainbow Quilts for this beginner's quilting workshop. Make a scissor holder in seaside fabric and a tonal blender. Materials included but you will need to bring your own sewing machine (or hire one) sewing kit thread and shears. More details on their website. | Amble Pin Cushion, Queen St NE65 0BZ | £35 see www.amblepincushion.co.uk/workshops |
| 10.30am | Entertainment from Amble's Puffin Theatre Club | Town Sq | Free |
| 10am-12pm | Pop-up Bird watching with Space for Shorebirds Come along and watch the birds along the estuary using our telescopes. | Braid/Estuary next to the Shorebase Trust | Free |
| 10.30 & 11.30am | Biosecurity dog demos. Meet RSPB biosecurity detection dog Reid, and his handler Rachel Cripps | Braid/Estuary next to the Shorebase Trust | Free |
| 10.30-12pm | Drop-In Arts and Crafts Activity at Amble Library. Free event. All children must be accompanied by an adult. | Amble Library, Middleton St NE65 0ET | Free |
| 11am | Seascape photography workshop with professional photographer Ivor Rackham. Approx 1.5hrs. | Paddlers beach. Meet at puffin sculpture at Paddlers Park | Free |
| 11am - 11.15 | Bare Toed aerial dancers. Performance | Town Sq | Free |
| 11.20 - 12.20 | Bare Toed aerial dancers. Come and Try aerial cocoons for children | Town Sq | Free |
| 11-3pm | Gansey exhibition and knitting demo - come and try! | Dry Water Arts Centre, Wellwood Street Amble NE65 0FG | Free |
| 2-3pm | Family sand castle/art competition at Little Shore. Hosted by Amble Swimblers. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Weather dependent. Prizes SPONSORED BY SEASIDE TRAVEL | Little Shore | Free |
| 11am | Guided walk around the Bord Waalk sculptures *Please note this will not cover the whole trail | Meet at steps near Cock + Bull in Town Sq | Free |
| 11.30 - 12 | Jamie and Georgie: First Set Classic Pop Songs | Town Sq | Free |
| Registration 11am. Judging from 12midday | Dog Show with Northumberland Dog Rescue. Registration at 11am with judging from 12 midday. On the Braid near the beacon. The categories are; best senior, best bitch, best dog, best rescue, waggiest tail | Amble Braid near the beacon | Details from www.northumberlandogrescue.co.uk or see their Facebook page. 01665 579246. |
| 12.15pm | Puffin Fun competition. Can you make the best Puffin sound? Can you walk like a puffin? For all ages. | Town Sq | Free |
| 12midday | Guided tour around Dovecote Street Arts exhibition. With Luke McTaggart | Dovecote Centre, Dovecote St NE65 0DX | Free |
| 1pm - 1.45pm | Afternoon talk: 'The Secret Lives of Northumberland's Nesting Shorebirds' with Space for Shorebirds | Cock+Bull in Town Sq | Free |
| 1-3pm | Youth Project activities. From 1pm–3pm, we have a baby and young children’s clothes sale (used), with teas and cakes for sale in the Youth Project building. In the Town Square, we are inviting people to join the challenge to row the River Coquet – 56 miles – on a rowing machine. | Amble Youth Project, Dilston Terrace & Town Sq | |
| 1.00pm | Tribe Zuza | Town Sq | Free |
| 1.15pm | Simon Wood drum circle. Join in and have fun. All ages. SPONSORED BY HOLIDAYCOTTAGES.CO.UK | Town Sq | Free |
| 1.30-3.45pm | Quilting for beginners - tidy bag. Join Caroline from Rainbow Quilts for this beginner's quilting workshop. Make a tidy bag in seaside fabric and a tonal blender. Materials are included, but you will need to bring your own sewing machine (or hire one), sewing kit, thread and shears. More details on their website. | Amble Pin Cushion, Queen St NE65 0BZ | £35 see www.amblepincushion.co.uk/workshops |
| 2pm | Jamie and Georgie: second set | Town Sq | Free |
| 2pm | Afternoon nature walk: Summer Visitors to the Coast – a guided walk to spot and learn about all the seabirds and shorebirds of Northumberland and the habitats they depend on. Suitable for all, beginners welcome! With Berwickshire and Northumberland Marine Nature Partnership, RSPB and Space for Shorebirds. | Meet at steps near Cock + Bull in Town Sq | Free |
| 2.30pm | Tribe Zuza second set | Town Sq | Free |
| 2.45 | Simon Wood second set. SPONSORED BY HOLIDAYCOTTAGES.CO.UK | Town Sq | Free |
| 3.30pm | Andy and Bart | Town Sq | |
| all day | Interactive Puffin Percussion from Dry Water Arts. Come and have a go! | Pier | Free |
| all day | Rainbow Harbour Community Banners along the pier | Pier | Free |
| various | Meet Tommy Noddy the giant puffin | various | |
| 7pm - 9pm | Evening Talk: From Sea to Stitch: Join Deb Gillanders from Proper Gansey to uncover the history and meaning of the iconic North East fishermen’s Ganseys. | Dry Water Arts Centre, Wellwood Street Amble NE65 0FG | Free |
Events: Sunday 24th May
Please note: Events and times may be subject to change. Some activities are weather dependent.
| Time | Description | Location | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9am | Wildlife photography walk/workshop with photographer Ivor Rackham. Approx 1.5hrs. | Meet at steps near Cock + Bull in Town Sq | Free |
| 9.30am | Puffin Festival Landscape Artist of the Year Competition. Meet at Amble Youth Project at 9.30am, work between 10am-2pm, Judging from 2-3pm. SPONSORED BY THE OLD BOAT HOUSE & COQUET SHOREBASE TRUST | Register via Dovecote Street Arts dovecotestreetarts@gmail.com | Free |
| 10-4pm | Fair in the Square: Arts, crafts, food, community groups and children’s amusements | Town Sq | Free |
| Puffins ahoy! Livestream of the puffins on Coquet Island. SPONSORED BY ALNCOM | Town Sq | Free | |
| all day | Rainbow Harbour Community Banners along the pier | Pier | Free |
| all day | Interactive Puffin Percussion from Dry Water Arts. Come and have a go! | Pier | Free |
| 11am | Inglenook Folk Band: Durham based band who love all things folky | Town Sq | Free |
| 11 - 3pm | Gansey exhibition | Dry Water Arts Centre, Wellwood Street Amble NE65 0FG | Free |
| 10.45am start | Family beach activities with Coquet River Action Group (CRAG). Meet at 10.45 on the Little Shore ready for the Big Splash at 11am. 2-3pm Sandcastle competion. Prizes SPONSORED BY SEASIDE TRAVEL. Children should be supervised. Weather dependent | Little Shore | Free |
| 11-1pm | Puffin kites on the Little Shore with Dry Water Arts. Make and fly. Weather dependent | Little Shore | Free |
| 11.30am | Caribbean Crew. Steel Band from Cramlington | Town Sq | Free |
| 12 midday | Live music with Northern Monkey Brass Band. The North East's finest New Orleans Brass Band. Featured artist on BBC Radio 3's Jazz Line Up. | Town Sq | Free |
| 12-12.30pm | Lunchtime talk: Stronger Shores: Where are we now? A talk about the Stronger Shores arts and nature project with Blair Watson | Cock+Bull in Town Sq | Free |
| 12.30pm | Inglenook Folk Band second set | Town Sq | Free |
| various | Meet Tommy Noddy the giant puffin | various | Free |
| 1pm | Caribbean Crew Steel Band second set | Town Sq | |
| 1pm - 1.45pm | Afternoon talk: Stories of the Shore. With Coquet Rivers Action Group (CRAG) and Amble Writers Group | Cock+Bull in Town Sq | Free |
| 1.30pm | Northern Monkey Brass Band second set | Town Sq | Free |
| 2pm | Afternoon history walk: the sea, the wrecks and the fishing. With Nick Gibbs | Meet at steps near Cock + Bull in Town Sq | Free |
| 2pm | Live music from Pete Bell aka 'The Human Jukebox' | Town Sq | Free |
| 2pm ish | Puffin fun run finish. Fun run from Puffins Social Running Club. Whitley Bay to Amble | Town Sq | Details from their Instagram page: runwithpuffins |
| 2.30pm | Meze Mundo first set | Town Sq | Free |
| 3pm | Landscape artist winner announcement | Town Sq | Free |
| 3pm | Live music from Pete Bell aka 'The Human Jukebox' | Town Sq | Free |
| 3.30pm | Meze Mundo second set | Town Sq | Free |
| all day | Interactive Puffin Percussion from Dry Water Arts. Come and have a go! | Pier | Free |
| all day | Rainbow Harbour Community Banners along the pier | Pier | |
| various | Meet Tommy Noddy the giant puffin | various | Free |
