After the roaring success of the first Walton Arts Festival in 2024, ‘Between the Tides’ will return this September for another jam-packed weekend of live music, dancing, art, storytelling, performance, and fun for kids. Against a backdrop of beach activities, a celebration of coastal community and creativity across Walton-on-the-Naze will be a welcome dose for wellbeing before the season’s change.
To celebrate the launch, and to promote this year’s Between the Tides, Dutch sand artist Gert-Jan van der Kooij, who goes by the name of De Strandharker (‘The Sand Raker’ in Dutch) has drawn the Walton Arts Festival logo on the beach by Walton Pier.
This is his second trip to Walton on the Naze to create giant sand artworks. Gert-Jan likes the Walton beaches to draw on because of the flat sands and the raised promenade, which allows viewers to look down on the drawings.
“There’s a high promenade where you can look from above, and that’s perfect because in The Netherlands, when I’m raking, people can’t see what I’m doing, only when they see it through the drone.”
He prepares the artworks he draws first on his computer using bespoke software, and then loads the images to his virtual reality glasses, which he then projects onto the beach, tracing the lines and carefully raking the shapes. You can follow his work on Facebook De Strandharker
Now’s the time for people save the weekend date in their diaries. Between the Tides: The Walton Arts Festival will open on the evening of Friday 18th September, and will run through to Sunday 20th September 2026, transforming the beaches, promenade, Naze Tower, and community spaces into a vibrant celebration of local talent and seaside culture. The festival will feature a wide range of activities designed to showcase Walton’s unique landscape and creative community. Events and activities will again be led by the tides of the Autumn Equinox, and will involve businesses, venues, churches, community groups and organisations, artists, performers, schools from Walton, and the surrounding areas, for a spirited last of the summer hurrah!
Organisers say the festival is designed to bring people together, support local artists, and shine a positive spotlight on Walton and the wider Tendring coast. Eleanor Brown from The Nose Bookshop said:
“We hope to build on the success of the last Festival, bringing together creative communities to showcase our impressive local talent and help make the town feel alive. Walton‑on‑the‑Naze has an incredible creative spirit and a coastline that inspires artists, writers, and musicians. This festival is about celebrating the town, giving local people something to be proud of, and welcoming visitors to experience Walton at its best.”
