Vibrant Sandown Bay Regatta Hailed As 'Key To Town's Regeneration'

Organisers hailed last weekend’s Sandown Bay Regatta a major success after the event drew big crowds on a blazing summer Sunday.

Residents and visitors enjoyed a day of non-stop fun and entertainment along the Esplanade with a busy street market, two performance areas and a Beach Arena hosting a traditional Punch and Judy show, popular games like tug of war and the Island’s very own Grand Regatta Hat Parade.

Sandown’s 9-year old Oliver Concannon scooped the £100 first prize for Best Hat, wowing the judges with a creation featuring the doomed transatlantic liner Titanic. 

Organisers Sandown Carnival see the Regatta’s success as crucial to the town.

Carnival Chair Paul Coueslant said:

"We work hard to make sure this event and our carnival parades stay an important part of Sandown’s future.

"Their ability to draw thousands of people here makes them key to the town’s regeneration.

"We’re lucky to have a strong, friendly community behind us and it was great to see the fantastic creativity on show in this year’s hat parade.

"It makes us confident that some of today’s keen young hatmakers might well be helping to organise our events in the decades to come."

Sandown Bay Regatta and Sandown Carnival are run entirely by volunteers and welcome public support for their work.

Financial donations are always valuable and can be made via sandowncarnival.com/donate