The 149th anniversary of the Catalpa prison escape is being celebrated this weekend

One of WA’s most famous historical prison escapes will be celebrated this Saturday on the Rockingham foreshore.

In 1876, six Irish convicts escaped Fremantle Prison to Rockingham, where they fled to New York on a phoney whaling ship named Catalpa.

Arrested for being part of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, the legacy of the six daring rebels and their swashbuckling, high-stakes adventure has become a beloved and inspiring chapter of Rockingham’s history.

Organisers of the now annual Catalpa Adventure Festival are gearing up for their third year of celebrations at the foreshore in the 149th anniversary of the event, with one eye already being cast towards a milestone commemoration next year.

They are promising a free live concert all afternoon and evening with Irish band the Jarrah Celts and the Royal Australian Navy Band, Irish dancing, and Irish storytelling recounting the legendary Catalpa rescue among the entertainment.

There will also be food and drink trucks, kids’ activities and market stalls.

With next year marking the 150th anniversary of the escape, there are dreams of a far bigger celebration and luring descendants of the Fenians from Ireland and the US.

Event organisers will pitch for support from agencies such as Tourism WA to bring to life their vision to use the historic anniversary to boost the local economy and tourism in the Rockingham region.