Yard Sessions

Yard Sessions are back at Royal William Yard for the summer of 2026, with live music running on Friday evenings from 17:30 to 20:00. The sessions take place in the Secret Garden, a landscaped walled garden tucked behind Residence 1, just a few metres from the water. It's a spot known for its acoustics and atmosphere, and from the garden steps — which they call 'the lookout' — you get views across Plymouth Sound over the historic buildings that surround it.

The series focuses on local talent across a range of styles, from blues and folk to jazz, soul and alt-funk, and it mixes established South West artists with acts playing the Yard for the first time. If wet weather is forecast, the sessions move indoors to Melville, so it's not a case of rain calling things off. Inside the garden, the Yard's independent wine bar Le Vignoble runs a licensed bar.

There are six dates in the run: Friday 5 June, 19 June, 3 July, 17 July, 14 August and 11 September, each running 17:30 to 20:00. Entry is free.