Saint John’s inaugural Spring Tide Shanty Fest brought the city’s rich seafaring history to life, drawing an estimated 400 to 500 attendees.
The festival featured workshops and live performances from March 20 to 22 in Saint John’s uptown area, organized by the Fundy Sea Shanty Festival in collaboration with Envision Saint John and the Hilton Hotel.
It drew participants from across Canada and Artistic Director, Gary Caines was impressed by the turnout.
“We had participants from six different provinces… A couple travelled as far away as Winnipeg to be there just for the festival,” Caines said.
He explained the festival served as a platform to teach attendees about the purpose and history of sea shanties.
Workshops such as the “Women at Sea” shed light on the often-overlooked role of women during the age of sail, while performances provided cultural context to these maritime songs.
“Sea shanties are more than just work songs—they remind us that the best way to get through life is to work together,” Caine said.
Caine also expressed a desire to deepen understanding of sea shanties through future events.
He emphasized the importance of preserving these traditions as an essential part of Maritime heritage.
Highlights of the festival included energetic performances by Bytown Sea Shanty Collective and Dram and a Draw, alongside interactive workshops that gave participants a look into Saint John’s coastal history.
Caines added that many attendees loved the welcoming and friendly atmosphere of the Maritime community, with some already planning to visit the upcoming festival in St. Martins.
The festival also introduced a new dance fusion element with the upcoming production “Come All Ye… and Dance”, slated to premiere in summer 2026.
He explained the production will feature four professional dancers performing 10 sea shanties through 35 minutes of contemporary dance, blending maritime tradition with modern artistic expression.
A preview of the piece was showcased at the final concert in Trinity Church, featuring two dancers and two shanties.
Despite being a scaled-down version, Caines was thrilled with the performance and audience feedback.
“A few people said to me, ‘I just couldn’t picture contemporary dance and sea shanties coming together.’ But the choreography and the dancers nailed it,” Caines said.
“Even if you didn’t hear the music, you’d see the movements and think, ‘This is sea-based. This is work-on-board-ship-themed.’”
Caines praised the choreography, highlighting how it captured the essence of shanties and mirrored life aboard a ship, with dancers working together to depict the rhythm and tasks of maritime life.
They will be working on this over the winter with the goal of presenting it next summer.
Organizers are currently reviewing feedback to determine the future of the festival.
“I’d like to try it again and make things a little better and tighter, with fewer glitches,” Caine said.
“If you do something once, it’s probably worth doing two or three times.”
In the meantime, monthly shanty nights at O’Leary’s Pub continue to keep the spirit alive, offering a mix of singing and education about this timeless tradition.
