Here's what you can expect when Vintage by the Sea returns to Morecambe this year

Vintage by the Sea is back after a two-year absence owing to the Covid pandemic and will take place over the weekend of September 3 and 4.

Once more the town will rock with the sounds of the 20th Century and roll with thrilling performances reflecting on years gone by.

Vintage by the Sea is a fun-filled nostalgic trip down Memory Lane co-founded in 2013 by Morecambe-born designer, Wayne Hemingway with Gerardine and Jack Hemingway, Hemingway Design and Morecambe-based art and culture company Deco Publique. It is produced by Deco Publique in partnership with Lancaster City Council.

“Over nine years we’ve welcomed more than 250,000 visitors to Vintage by the Sea which is why it was so hard to see the festival cancelled for the last two years, and why it’s so wonderful to see it return this September, “ said Deco Publique’s co-director and co-curator, Elena Jackson.

“Audiences can expect the usual mix of vintage inspired street theatre, live music and DJs, workshops, more dance classes than ever, the Makers Market now at the historic Winter Gardens, the Vintage Marketplace at The Platform and so much more,” added Lauren Zawadzki, Deco Publique’s co-director and co-curator.

Dance will feature heavily at this year’s festival with many chances to participate as well as spectate.

There’ll be opportunities to try dance styles from the Charleston of the Roaring Twenties to the groovy moves of the Sixties while among the dance performances will be Quite Unfit for Females, a tribute to the pioneering female footballers of yesteryear, presented by Lancaster-based About Time Dance Company.

Childhood memories will be revived with The Swings by Scotland’s All or Nothing Aerial Dance Theatre, one of the new highlights of this year’s festival. Aerialists will swing, climb, and perform on a giant swing set with sound installation before opening it up for festivalgoers to play.

Music remains a festival mainstay with performances from solo artists, bands and DJs throughout the weekend. Saturday brings a special appearance from the Old Time Sailors, a crew of 17 strong sailors presenting a musical show designed to take the audience back in time through an unforgettable trip filled with shanties and sing-a-longs.

Festival favourites, the classic car show, vintage bike ride, mobile cinema, vintage hair and beauty salon and Bradford to Morecambe Car Rally are among the attractions returning for the 2022 event.

Eden Project International's chief global growth officer, David Harland, said: "Morecambe's thriving festival and cultural scene already brings many visitors to the area and was one of the many reasons Eden was attracted to the location. Vintage by the Sea is one of the highlights of this scene, making the most of the fantastic setting of Morecambe's seafront with the backdrop of the Lake District."

Vintage by the Sea events takes place in and around the Midland Hotel, Promenade Gardens, the Winter Gardens and The Platform.

The festival runs from 11am-6pm and events are free to attend though the evening After Party with Hacienda veteran DJ Dave Haslam and the Torch Club Ball at the Midland are ticketed and must be booked in advance.

For more information, see www.vintagefestival.co.uk/vintage-by-the-sea/