The Low Tide Event
A truly unique Scillonian celebration - part pop-up festival, part natural wonder - set on a golden sandbar usually hidden beneath 20 feet of sea...
Upcoming Dates (always subject to the great British weather!)
| Tuesday 9th September 2025 |
| Friday 17th April 2026 |
| Friday 11th September 2026 |
This rare and magical event happens only when the moon and tides align. During these powerful Spring Tides, the channel between Tresco and Bryher is briefly exposed, allowing you to walk across the seabed itself.
As the tide retreats, the Tresco team splashes through the shallows to set the stage. Soon, islanders and visitors begin their barefoot journey from both Tresco and Bryher, meeting at the heart of the channel for a once-in-a-blue-moon gathering on the sand.
The celebration lasts just a little over an hour - then, as the klaxon sounds, it’s time to return to dry land before the sea reclaims its stage. Wander across to the opposite island to continue your adventure, and later, take the boat home over the very spot where you were dancing barefoot on the seabed just hours before.
Join us for this ephemeral celebration where community, cuisine, and the natural world converge on a sandbar that exists only for a few magical hours.
Food, Drink & Island Spirit
Like the shifting sands it’s set upon, the Low Tide Event has evolved over the years - no two gatherings are ever quite the same. Each one brings together a different mix of island characters, flavours, and experiences for our beloved sandbar shindig.
Tresco and Hell Bay Hotel host pop-up ‘Sand Bars’, serving cold drinks and locally distilled island spirits, including our own Hell Bay Gin.
Bryher’s Island Fish even beach their boat, Emerald Dawn, right on the sand to serve up the freshest seafood straight from the sea.
Every event features a rotating cast of local producers and entertainers from across the Isles of Scilly. Past highlights have included live music from Cornish singer-songwriter Will Keating and the band Scuppered, traditional lobster pot-making with islander Jof Hicks, and fascinating seabed safaris with the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust.
You might also stumble across tempting treats and tipples from island favourites like SC Dogs Rum, Westward Farm, Tarquin’s Gin, Bryher Bake Box, and Veronica Farm Fudge.
Upcoming Dates
The next Low Tide Events are scheduled for:
- Tuesday 9th September 2025
- Friday 17th April 2026
- Friday 11th September 2026
Event Information & Guidelines
For safety, this event is always subject to weather conditions and tidal variations.
Dogs are welcome but must be kept on leads during the event.
We may take photographs and videos of this event for publicity purposes.
