Sandown is set to kick off the Isle of Wight’s carnival season this Saturday (26th July), with a day of family fun, dazzling floats, and colourful costumes marking the start of 5 weeks of parades across the Island.
The festivities begin with the Children’s Carnival at 11:00, departing from Sandown Pier and heading towards Sandham Gardens, where entertainment will continue into the afternoon with performances from Stevo & Kai and Soundwaves Entertainment.
Later in the evening, the popular Main Carnival parade will start from Sandown Library at 19:00. The procession will travel along the High Street before weaving through the town’s back streets. Organisers are encouraging spectators to arrive in good time to secure the best viewing spots. Route maps are available to help plan where to watch.
Carnival parades have been a tradition in Sandown since 1889, forming part of one of the oldest carnival circuits in the country. This year, the season will also include parades in East Cowes, Newport, Shanklin, Ventnor, St Helen’s and Ryde.
Paul Coueslant, Chair of Sandown Carnival, has said:
“We can’t wait to welcome people to Sandown on Saturday. The town has been putting on carnivals since 1889 and there’s always excitement when the summer parades draw near.
“We’re pleased to make all our events free to watch, but they do cost us money to put on and we welcome cash donations on the day or at www.sandowncarnival.com/donate for online card payments. But most of all, we hope everyone watching and taking part has a lot of fun.”
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Looking forward to it very much, hot sugar doughnuts
on the pier.
Don’t forget FREE all day parking opposite the Pier on the
pavement outside the old tourist information centre
WHY PAY TO PARK !