Celebrations around crustaceans are coming to the north Norfolk coast as a popular festival returns after three years. 

The Cromer Crab and Lobster Festival is taking place May 19-21 (Friday to Sunday), with events themed around food and community. 

Emma Spagnola, organising committee member, said she was delighted to be involved with the festival which, in pre-Covid times, had been such a highlight of the town’s calendar.

Eastern Daily Press: Claire Davies and Louise Hyde at a previous Crab and Lobster Festival - Picture: NewsquestClaire Davies and Louise Hyde at a previous Crab and Lobster Festival - Picture: Newsquest (Image: Newsquest)

Ms Spagnola said: “I’m so excited to be involved with it. It’s a wonderful celebration of where we live.”

Whereas in the past the festival has also taken place in Sheringham, Ms Spagnola said this year it would be more Cromer-focused as the event “found its feet” again. 

A performance by the Blakeney Wild Rovers shanty group will kick off the festival at Cromer Parish Church on May 19 at 7pm - tickets are £10. 

Then on May 20 and 21 the focus will shift to Evington Lawns, where there will be live cooking demonstrations, crab dressing displays and exhibits of Cromer’s fishing heritage.

There will also be food stalls selling everything from sushi to waffles, Punch and Judy shows and crab sandwiches to buy. 

Cromer’s favourite clown, Razz, and fellow entertainer Auntie Pearl will be there on the Saturday.

The traditional Cromer crab sandwich-making competition will return on the Sunday at 2pm.

A trail of sculpted and decorated seahorses is already up and running around Cromer, as well as in neighbouring towns and villages from Weybourne to Mundesley, including Sheringham.

People can spot the seahorses in the windows of participating shops, and the creations will be auctioned off later in the year. 

Cromer’s chamber of trade is also organising a food trail around the town. 

Anyone interested in running a stall, or taking part in the cab sandwich contest, can email Cromercrabandlobsterfestival@gmail.com