The Amble Puffin Festival is set to go ahead with an especially "serious side" to the festival this year.
An important event for the town since the inaugural festival took place in 2013, The Puffin Festival began as a way to encourage visitors to the town and to find out more about Amble. However, a decade later, it is a popular destination for holidaymakers and staycationers, while many people have moved to the area due to new housing.
As well as showcasing the town and its independent retail and hospitality businesses, the festival will aim to shine a light on the plight of puffins and other seabirds. Last year the Northumberland coast in particular was hit hard by an avian flu epidemic, with thousands of birds washing up on the county's shores.
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Four species of terns on Coquet Island, off the coast of Amble, were severely affected by the outbreak, with two thirds of chicks dying. And experts have warned that the devastating impact of the disease is likely to be seen again this year, with the Farne Islands further north on the coast to remain closed to tourists - both the Farnes and Coquet Island are internationally important seabird breeding colonies..
The public are able to book boat trips to Coquet Island from Amble Harbour, and organisers are encouraging visitors to do so for a chance of seeing the "clowns of the sea". Events on land include activities in Amble Town Square such as a arts and craft fair, pop-up bird watching and live performances throughout the day.
At nearby Little Shore, Northumberland tourism superstar Jane Dixon will be hosting a seashore safari, while renowned sand artist Claire Eason will be showing people how to make their own stunning designs on the beach.
Anna Williams, one of the Puffin Festival's organisers, told ChronicleLive: "Amble is really lucky to be only a mile away from Coquet Island which is home to thousands of puffins, and a huge variety of seabirds. Everyone loves puffins, they are such cute funny little birds – but there’s a serious side to the festival too.
"Puffins are red listed now, which means their numbers are in decline. We want to bring awareness of the danger that they and the Roseate terns which also breed on the island are facing. And with Avian Flu which decimated Coquet Island last year, we are holding our breath to see what happens this year."
The Amble Puffin Festival takes places on Saturday May 27 and Sunday May 28. For more information, visit the website.
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