The Songs, Stages, and Seafood Festival returns to Bay Roberts, Newfoundland and Labrador, from May 21 to May 24, 2026, offering residents and visitors a four-day celebration of maritime culture, live music, and local cuisine. Hosted by the Town of Bay Roberts, the event showcases the region’s heritage through a series of gatherings centred at the Bay Arena.
The festival kicks off May 21 with the inaugural Harbour Hop, a 19-plus culinary pub crawl featuring live music by Todd Barteau. On May 22, the arena will host the Hooked On Local seafood showcase, featuring performances by Those Beautiful Ugly Sticks and The Salt Beef Junkies. Both of these events have already reached capacity through ticket sales on Showpass.
Outdoor programming continues on May 23 with the Toutons, Tomcods, and Tunes guided hike along the Shoreline Heritage Trail. Participants will enjoy fresh toutons—a traditional Newfoundland fried bread dough dish—along with local cod, coffee, and tea, accompanied by live music at the Red Shed. Tickets for this guided experience are priced at $27.24.
The festival concludes May 24 with the NL Fishcake Championship, presented by Powell’s Supermarket. Running from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM, the competition invites attendees to sample entries from 10 local chef teams. The event will feature live entertainment from the band Blind Drunk, with the winner earning the title currently held by the 2025 champion, Lacey Coffin. Tickets for the championship are available for $32.69.
Ron Delaney, Director of Tourism and Economic Development for the Town of Bay Roberts, serves as a lead organizer for the festivities. The event is designed to highlight the town’s longstanding connection to the sea and support the regional culinary scene.
