Whitby Regatta

Date: 8 August 2026 – 10 August 2026

Location: Whitby, Whitby, United Kingdom

Organizer: Whitby Regatta

Whitby Regatta claims the title of England's oldest sea regatta, first held in 1839 and still filling the town every August. The 2026 edition runs 8 to 10 August. On the water there are yacht races off the harbour mouth and rowing races between the local clubs, which remain the competitive core of the weekend, with old rivalries attached. Ashore, the programme is a full seaside festival: a fairground, military displays, live music and a firework display over the harbour. The RAF Red Arrows are booked to display in 2026, always the biggest crowd-puller of the weekend. Around 20,000 visitors come through over the three days, so expect the town to be heaving and the pubs full. It is a regatta in the original Victorian sense, where the sailing and rowing share billing with everything else going on around the harbour, and it works.

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