Telephone IoW Tours to book now:
01983 405116
What's it all about?
Bracklesham Ukulele Weekends are hosted by George & Mandi from the award-winning Opera-lele and take place by the sea, three times a year. Founded at the Bracklesham Bay Holiday Park (from where we get our name), our weekends have gone from strength to strength and have featured many performers including George Hinchliffe, Andy Eastwood, Phil Doleman, Anarchy in the Ukulele, Emilie Lierre, Jeff Japers, Christopher Davis-Shannon, Mike Hind, Tricity Vogue, Peter Moss, Andrea Cooke, Dead Man's Uke, The Mother Ukers, Devil's Doorbell, Will Grove-White,Matthew Quilliam, Plastic Jeezus, Zoë Bestel, Samantha Muir, Paul Mansell, Ukulele Simon, Marc Gallagher, Phillipa Leigh, Alex Beds, The Mersey Belles, The Hedge Inspectors, Opera-lele, Elisabeth Pfeiffer, Southern Beauty, Percy Copley, LunaBarge and many more! The events move between Great Yarmouth in February, Shanklin on the Isle of Wight in March and Eastbourne on the South East coast in October each year. We are introdcing a new Ukulele Escape weekend in January 2027 - follow the link below.
SOLD OUT
From £275 per person
30th October - 2nd November 2026
The Queen's Hotel, Marine Parade,
Eastbourne BN21 3DY
Featuring: Abi Carter-Simpson, Remco, Kitty Stewart, Matt Stead, Calypso Moon & Devil's Doorbell.
BOOK NOW to avoid missing out!
Book online: www.iowtours.com
or call the team: 01983 405116
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The Ukulele Escape
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From £799 per person for 5 incredible days
7th - 11th January 2027
Exclusive use of the Forest Lodge Hotel in the beautiful New Forest.
Featuring lessons and performances from Phil Doleman and Elisabeth Pfeiffer. Also: T'ai Chi, walking tours, coach trip to Buckler's Hard museum, all meals included, jams, open mics, Singing for the Soul with Opera-lele and more!
BOOK NOW to avoid missing out!
Book online: www.iowtours.com
or call the team: 01983 405116
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3/4 of tickets ALREADY SOLD!
From £269 per person
19th-22nd February 2027
New Beach Hotel, Marine Parade,
Great Yarmouth NR30 2EJ
Featuring: Andy Eastwood, Samantha Muir, Plastic Jeezus, Phillipa Leigh, Marc Gallagher & Tin Roof Strollers.
BOOK NOW to avoid missing out!
Book online: www.iowtours.com
or call the team: 01983 405116
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1/2 of tickets ALREADY SOLD!
From £299 per person - including ferry crossing!
12th-15th March 2027
The Shanklin Hotel, Shanklin
Isle of Wight PO37 6DP
Featuring: Mike Hind, Ukulele Simon, Tricity Vogue, Matthew Quilliam, Katy Vernon & Side by Side
BOOK NOW to avoid missing out!
Book online: www.iowtours.com
or call the team: 01983 405116
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Why people choose Bracklesham?
Workshops
Workshops Performances
Open Mics
Jam Sessions
Ukulele Swap Shop
Incredible Value for Money
Workshops
At our weekends, we offer around 10 workshops, roughly half of them are included in the cost of your ticket with the others available for just £6. We bring you some of the top ukulele players in the world who share their know-how with you in an intimate environment.
Performances
We invite performers from across the globe to come together to perform especially for you. Over three nights, you will get to hear support and headline acts for your entertainment. This includes our ever-popular Late Night Cabaret where you can expect some cheekiness and bawdiness!
Open Mics
We endeavour to give as many attendees the maximum number of opportunities to perform on this platform. With Open Mic slots spread across the weekend, there is no excuse not to dust off your fancy pants and play your heart out!
Strum-alongs
We use our bespoke Bracklesham Ukulele Weekends Songbook (downloadable at the bottom of this page)to sing and strum together. Led by Opera-lele or guest artists, these are fantastic opportunities for us all to perform together! The emphasis is on fun!
Our January weekend takes place in beautiful Great Yarmouth on the Norfolk coast. Known for its long sandy beach, the town is seeped in history and we're excited to add it to our destinations. The New Beach hotel is right on the sea front and offers lots of spaces for workshops and jamming alongside the ballroom for performances and a lovely, relaxed dining room.
Our Spring Weekends take place at the Shanklin Hotel in Shanklin on the beautiful Isle of Wight. The hotel boasts a swimming pool, sauna and is a very short stroll to the sea (with many rooms benefitting from a sea view). There is a bar and lots of areas to relax when you're not busy in workshops, being entertained or eating! Free off-street parking is available and your ticket includes carferry crossing from Portsmouth.
In the Autumn, we spend the weekend in the grand Queen's Hotel in Eastbourne. With views of the Eastbourne Pier and right on the sea front, the location is simply stunning. There is free parking on site. Performances take place in the grand ballroom with a bar, and dinners are in an equally grand dining room. There is also a conservatory and full-sized snooker table! We can also let you know where to get the best fish & chips in town!
What attendees say...
“Brilliant events, great workshops, friendly people and fabulous, talented acts!”
"A great mix of established and newer performers. We don't know where George & Mandi find them all but the weekend was A-MA-ZING!!"
“There is a reason why so many people book their next weekend before they leave! We'll be back again in October. Such a brilliant weekend.”
"Great value for money. A weekend that was entertaining and relaxing. A very friendly, welcoming atmosphere.”
“Fantastic weekend. Meeting up with friends and enjoying great ukulele playing and jams.”
“Favourite parts of the weekend: Incredible live performances, Mandi's Closed Mic, informative and entertaining workshops and jamming. You provided a relaxed weekend and a fantastic opportunity to chat and make new friends.”
“I have been fortunate enough to have attended 2 Bracklesham events with one more later this year. There is literally something for everyone from novice to experienced."
"I have attended many ukulele events and residential weekends. This is, by far, the best that I have been to. The acts performing were truly world-class and their workshops clear and informative. Congratulations to you all and we have already booked for the next weekend! Thank you."
Meet our award-winning team
Our weekends rely on many people. Your bookings, travel arrangements and accommodation are all sorted by the award-winning Isle of Wight Tours and your MCs and hosts for the weekends are the award-winning duo Opera-lele.
Downloads
Click the link above to download the programme for our MARCH weekend in Shanklin.
Workshop Worksheets
Here you can download worksheets for Shanklin 2026.
No worksheet for Workshop 1
Frequently Asked Questions....
I am hard of hearing. Is there any provision for deaf people?
Although we can make no promises, there will be a PA system in place and on offer for all workshop leaders to use. Please let the workshop leader know that you need them to use a microphone and feel free to position yourself close to the speakers.
Will there be printed copies of the songbook available to buy for those who struggle with technology?
Yes. We will have a limited number of copies of the songbook available. They are available for a small charge to cover our printing costs but it would be better for the environment if you could download it to your tablet, or print your own at home.
Do I need to bring a music stand with me?
Whilst you don't need a music stand, many of our guests bring their own music or ipad stand with them for use in workshops or jam sessions. We have a music stand available for any Open Mic spots.
What do I have to wear on formal night?
You do not need to dress up for formal night, but if you would like to, feel free! You can dress to impress. Black tie, lounge suit, ball gown or little black dress, feel free to go to town!
Can you confirm the start and finish times for the weekends please?
Sure thing! On the Friday, check-in time is 4pm and checkout is 10am on Monday. The musical performancesusually begin at 8pm on Friday night.
I'm a member of a ukulele club. Can we come to one of your weekends as a group?
Yes, of course. Get in touch with the IOW Tours Team to discuss available offers.
I am visually impaired. Is there any help available to me?
Please advise us of your issue and we would be glad to reserve seating for you at the front of workshops and performances to enable you to have a better view.
Dates for your diary: Bracklesham Ukulele Weekends in Shanklin - March 6-9 2026
Bracklesham Ukulele Weekends in Eastbourne - October 30-November 2 2026
Bracklesham Ukulele Weekends in Great Yarmouth - February 19-22 2027
Bracklesham Ukulele Weekends in Shanklin - March 12-15 2027
Bracklesham Ukulele Weekends in Eastbourne - October 29-November 1 2027
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