Weymouth Seafeast – Doeset Seafood Festival

Project Overview

Weymouth Seafeast has long been a popular celebration of coastal culture in Weymouth, bringing together local food, maritime heritage, and community activity along the town’s historic waterfront. In response to health and safety concerns raised by the local authority about the harbour-side setting, the event was relocated, prompting a significant and locally debated shift in how the festival would be experienced.

The move to the Pavilion Peninsula Car Park introduced a very different context. While the site benefits from expansive views across the Jurassic Coast, it lacked the character and natural animation of the harbour. This change created a clear need to rethink how the festival could function, feel welcoming, and maintain its identity within a more neutral, open setting.

Introduction & Back Story

Project Legacy

The reimagining of Weymouth Seafeast demonstrates how thoughtful planning and creative masterplanning can unlock the potential of even the most challenging sites. By establishing a clear spatial structure and a strong visual identity, the project provides a flexible framework that can evolve year on year, responding to feedback, growth, and changing operational needs.

As Seafeast looks ahead to future editions, the approach developed for this event offers a transferable model for waterfront and town-centre festivals facing similar constraints. It shows how temporary events can be used to test ideas, shape public spaces, and inform longer-term event strategies, opening up new possibilities for future programming, partnerships, and coastal placemaking initiatives.