An inspiring Dutch sand artist has drawn the Walton Arts Festival logo for us on the beach by Walton Pier. Gert-Jan van der Kooij goes by the name of De Strandharker, which means ‘The Sand Raker’ in Dutch. This is his second trip to Walton on the Naze to create giant sand artworks. He has been drawing portraits and artworks on request by locals in the area. Gert-Jan likes the Walton beaches to draw on because of the flat sands and the raised promenade, which allows viewers to

We need your help to support this year's Walton Arts Festival. As our planning continues to deliver an exciting programme of events, you can show your support for the Walton Arts Festival by donating to, and sharing the festival's GoFund Me page. Link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/between-the-tides-family-friendly-arts-festival-in-walton Your money goes towards supporting our events programme, which means helping us pay the musicians and artists, hire equipment and venues, and

Between the Tides, Walton Arts Festival is back for its second year! Save the dates of Friday 18th, Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th September 2026 for a fun-packed festival and celebration of coastal community and creativity across Walton-on-the-Naze. Inspired by Walton’s heritage of September folk festivals, upholding its infamous reputation for being ‘Britain’s friendliest seaside resort’, the festival aims to showcase and offer a vibrant mix of opportunities and activities f