Mablethorpe, Sutton on Sea and Sandilands

Bathing Beauties
Festival 2007

The Longest Linear Coastal Art Festival in Europe

22nd and 23rd September 2007

Festival of Bathing Beauties 2007 - what happened

Thousands of people of all ages thronged Mablethorpe and Sutton on Sea for The Festival of Bathing Beauties on the weekend of 22 and 23 September. The Bathing Beauties Festival filled the beach and the beach huts of Mablethorpe and Sutton on Sea with a wild assortment of artistic splendour. Music, poetry, fire performances, film and drama provided a unique and unforgettable experience for one and all. Saturday evening culminated in a fantastic firework display on the Beach. There was be something for everyone.

The Beautiful Beach Hut Competition where private owners of existing huts competed for the Best Exterior Decoration: 1st Prize of £300 was won by Margot Charlton. Margot said she was going to have plaque made to commemorate the event.

One mablethorpe resident who has lived here for 30 years said she has never seen it so busy. The giant deck chair ('In search of Albion') is "so cool" and Left Luggage "are amazing" were some of the comments.

Congratulations to everyone involved in the Bathing Beauties Festival, it was thoroughly enjoyed by myself, my wife & young daughter!!
This is the sort of thing the town needs, I hope it's repeated next year, perhaps with a music festival too!!
Visitors from Nottingham (Monday, September 24, 2007)

'The Festival of Bathing Beauties was a huge success and far exceeded all our expectations, the Tourism Forum in partnership with Mantle Arts, the Town Council, ELDC, Michael Trainor and the Local Community have worked really hard to develop the tourisms offer and extend the traditional season on this coastal stretch through this art and cultural event. Mablethorpe was literally bursting at the seams with visitors who has come far and wide to see enjoy the Festival. Many left late Sunday afternoon asking is it going to be on again next year? The answer is a big yes and it will be even bigger and better it is defintely going to be a permenant fixture on the Mablethorpe Festival Calender.

The highlight was the fire sculpture of beach huts lighting up the coastal sky and a brilliant firework display going off behind them it was amazing..'
Helen Matthews. Chairman of the Mablethorpe Tourism Forum (Tue 25/09/2007)