PLANS are under way for the 17th annual Scarborough maritime festival Seafest.

For the second year, funding from Arts Council England will help organisers to schedule a dazzling programme of events and build on last year’s hugely-successful festival.

The three-day seafront festival, which this year is from July 24 to 26, has for the second year secured a grant from the artistic and cultural champions to help programme street theatre, music and food events.

Highlights of this year’s event will again be co-ordinated by Scarborough’s arts and cultural development agency, Create, and will include workshops and a performance by Leeds band Hope and Social, headliners at last year’s Yorkshire Festival; ukulele band Some Like it Ossett; poetry from A Firm of Poets; street theatre from Artizani Theatre Company, Artemis Lion Fish and Talking Birds, and a new arts marquee, with free drop-in arts sessions and story-telling.

There will also be rock-pooling and fossil-hunting walks from Hidden Horizons, a line-up of leading chefs from around the region giving cookery demonstrations, a full programme of music headed by DJ Tooley, and the traditional blessing of the boats.

Janet Deacon, North Yorkshire area director for Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “Seafest is one of Scarborough’s best-loved events during the summer season.”

For information, go to discoveryorkshirecoast.com/scarborough/event/main-events/scarborough-seafest