DIVE into a day and night of events and celebrations, highlighting the connection people have with the sea at the very first Festival of the Sea in the UK including an art exhibition and forum at the Torch Theatre, Milford Haven. Organised by the Y Môr a Ni / The Sea and Us will showcase the marine environment around Pembrokeshire with an array of activities.

Festival of the Sea at Milford Haven will start on Saturday 8 March on Mackerel Quay, Milford Waterfront before heading to the Torch Theatre on Sunday 9 March at 11am culminating with the annual Pembrokeshire Living Coast Forum at 7pm.

The Torch Theatre will be a hive of activity throughout the day with an opportunity to meet a range of vendors from the Darwin Centre, National Trust, Sea Trust, Field Studies Council and the Cleddau Project on their stands in the communal areas of the theatre.  Uncover the issue of marine plastics with the Sea Trust before getting crafty and creating your own marine plastic treasure in the main auditorium. Join the artist, Fran Evans, during her morning session of art and craft in the studio theatre before going on a journey into the marine world around Pembrokeshire and find out how Natural Resources Wales work – held in the main auditorium.

Get your hands dirty with Câr y Môr and help make some bio-fertiliser from seaweed and dive into the wonders of the deep with an award-winning marine photographer, diver and author in the company of Lou Luddington who will also showcase her exciting new ocean story telling platform. Mark Burton will discuss anything and everything from puffins to shearwaters and porpoises to seals as he recalls his time on Skomer Island before you attend the Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum 2025 in the main auditorium.

Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum is running its annual ‘Living Coast’ photo competition, in which photographers of all ages and skill levels are invited to capture the beauty and diversity of Pembrokeshire’s coast. The competition has four categories: ‘Children’s Wildlife’, ‘Children’s Coastal Life’, ‘Adult’s Wildlife’ and ‘Adult’s Coastal Life’. The entries of the winners and runners up, announced on Sunday 9 March, will be mounted and displayed at the Torch’s Theatre Joanna Field Gallery, alongside the work of Milford Youth Matters.

Take a walk on the wild side through the art exhibition at The Torch Theatre throughout March as part of Festival of the Sea – the first event of the recently launched Y Môr a Ni Ocean Literacy Strategy for Wales. Y Môr a Ni is designed by the Welsh Ocean Literacy Coalition and the wider Wales Coasts and Seas Partnership.

Discover the hidden underwater world that surrounds the Welsh coast through local art, stories and award-winning photography; dance the day away to traditional Welsh sea shanties and be inspired to make a splash for our seas whilst meeting guest speakers and meandering around some local Pembrokeshire stalls.

Festival of the Sea held in Milford Haven on Saturday 8 March on Mackerel Quay, Milford Waterfront and at the Torch Theatre on Sunday 9 March at 11am with the annual Pembrokeshire Living Coast Forum at 7pm.    

For further information, visit the Torch Theatre website www.torchtheatre.co.uk or phone the Box Office on (01646) 695267.