| Where: | Aberaeron at the Hive and the Yacht Club, then the Beach |
| When: | Saturday of August Bank Holiday Weekend |
| Time: | Parade 3pm, Burning at dusk |
The end of the summer fishing season is marked at Aberaeron on the Welsh coast with a mock funeral for the fish and a light-hearted celebration. A large mackerel puppet effigy is carried by bearers through the streets accompanied by a brass band, with the cortege following a route from the quayside to the Yacht Club who host the event. The procession is accompanied by suitably masked and black-clad wailing mourning widows, who represent the fishermen’s wives often left behind during the fishing forays in the past. On arrival at the club, the mackerel is blessed by the Vicar, thus ensuring a bumper catch in the year ahead, and this is followed by a party with barbecue and live music, with the ceremonial burning of the effigy on the beach at sunset.
Helpful Hints
In 2025 it should be on Saturday 23rd August (to be confirmed). In 2024 there was no fire due to ongoing coastal defence works.
Click here for the Yacht Club : https://www.aberaeronyachtclub.co.uk/aberaeron-mackerel-fiesta
and herre for their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/aberaeronmackerelfiesta/?paipv=0&eav=Afbydvc7tF_1wAkDW__Q-OiMVnFrkUIDcNpwvt42_vAhe1yTBqf2aeCaMib4DsF3Rko&_rdr
Photo by Paul Sandham.
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