Isle of Wight Events and Festivals

(Isle of Wight, England, UK)

Many visitors organising a trip to the Isle of Wight ensure that their travel plans coincide with a festival of their choice. Interestingly, there are actually more carnivals held here (per capita) than any other location in the UK.

The summer season sees a series of crowd-pulling sailing regattas, with Cowes Week each August being a real highlight. With its origins in the 1820s, Cowes Week is actually one of the longest-running annual regattas in existence and attracts approximately 1,000 boats, competing in some 40 daily sailing races.

September sees the arrival of the hugely popular Bestival, a live music event first held on the Isle of Wight in 2004 and now drawing more than 50,000 festival-goers. Past artists performing at the four-day Bestival include the likes of the Cure, the Pet Shop Boys, the Prodigy, Primal Scream and the Scissor Sisters, amongst many others.

National Public Holidays

• 1st January - New Year's Day
• Good Friday / Easter Monday - late March or early April
• First and last Monday in May
• Last Monday in August
• 25th December - Christmas Day
• 26th December - Boxing Day

(If Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year's Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the next weekday becomes a public holiday).

Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015

April

• Sailing Regatta - this exciting sailing fiesta attracts many boats and is held in Cowes, on the northern shore

May

• Isle of Wight Walking Festival - attracting more than 15,000 people from around the world, including a number of family fun walks
• Isle of Wight Garden Show - this major horticultural event is held in the splendid gardens of Queen Victoria's beloved Osborne House

June

• Yarmouth Maritime Festival - this nautical celebration takes place in the Yarmouth area, on the western coast of the island
• Round the Island Yacht Race - this yacht race is one of the Isle of Wight's largest events and is held each year in mid-June
• Heavy Horse Festival - held at Brickfields Hourse Country
• Wightmax Mountain Bike Festival - this mountain bike event features a number of exciting competitions
• Schneider Trophy Air Race - the Air Race includes exciting flying displays at Bembridge Airport

July

• Royal Isle of Wight County Show - late June or early July, including a number of displays, exhibitions, showjumping demonstrations, a dog show, livestock and various agricultural events

August

• Cowes Week - held during the first week of August, this enormous sailing regatta is based around Cowes
• Garlic Festival - this unusual celebration of all things garlic is held at Newchurch
• Island Steam Show - the steam show includes a large display of working steam engines and is held at Havenstreet
• Cowes Classic Powerboat Race - this exciting speedboat race begins at Cowes, on the northern side of the island

September

• Bestival - early September, a huge alternative music fest organised by famous DJ, Rob da Bank, based at the Robin Hill Adventure Park and Gardens
• Isle of Wight Cycling Festival - late September, this enormous cycling extravaganza lasts for two weeks and includes competitive road races, time trials, off-road cycling and related children's activities

October

• White Air Extreme Sports Festival - late October, this international surfing, kitesurfing and windsurfing event is the biggest in the United Kingdom and is held at Sandown Bay, attracting world-class surfers. There is also live music and beach parties most nights as part of the festivities
• Isle of Wight Open Dog Show - mid-October, held at Brickfields Horse Country, in the Binstead area

November

• British Cod Championships - this fishing event is the largest of its kind in the United Kingdom and takes place in the waters off the Needles, throughout November

December

• Newport Illuminated Christmas Carnival - early December, this carnival heralds the beginning of the Christmas season on the Isle of Wight