This Sunday sees a revival of Sandown’s much-loved tradition of wearing a hat on Regatta Day, and there’s lots of family entertainment in store.
The town’s been busy making hats for the last few weeks and it would be great fun if everyone could don their favourite headwear for this year’s Regatta on Sunday’ says organiser Paul Coueslant of Sandown Carnival.
Big hats in the style of legendary hatmaker Gertrude Shilling are now on display in High Street shop windows, made with the help of the public at workshops funded by the Arts Council England Lottery Fund. Primary school pupils and local care home residents have also been at work making environmentally-friendly seed paper hats that can be planted after use. They’ll all feature in Sunday’s Grand Regatta Hat Parade on Sandown beach at 14:15.
‘In the decades after the war, it was the done thing to wear a silly hat to the Regatta and so many people have told us it’s a tradition they miss’ says Paul. ‘This year, we’ll have a hat stall in Pier Street – just like there used to be – where you can pick up a seed paper hat to wear for the day, or you can just join in the fun by wearing a hat of your own’.
Sunday will see all-day entertainment with Joe Plumb and the Horse Box Theatre Company, magic from David Randini and a Punch and Judy show. DJ Paul Holbrook of Soundwaves Entertainment will provide music and fun at the Regatta Beach Arena near Eastern Gardens, and there’ll be an Esplanade street market between 10:00 and 16:00.
On Saturday 12th August, there’s a Regatta Dog Show at Sandham Gardens between 10am and 1pm, followed by a samba drumming and flag-making session with the New Carnival Company at 14:00 when anyone’s invited to take part.
Details of the Regatta are on Sandown Carnival’s Facebook page and at www.sandowncarnival.com.
