Whitby Regatta 2025: tractors to join parade as town set for three-day carnival at land and sea
Whitby Regatta – the town’s three-day carnival on land and sea – is back once again this weekend.
Running from Saturday, August 9 to Monday, August 11, highlights of the event will include competitive rowing races between Friendship, Fisherlads and Scarborough, as well as paddleboarding – which ran for the first time at last year’s regatta – and the sea swim from Sandsend to Whitby.
Added to that are the West Cliff attractions, funfair, fun run, dog show and the numerous other family-friendly activities for all to enjoy.
In an addition to the events featured in the Whitby Regatta programme, up to nine tractors will be joining in the Monday morning float parade.
Setting off from the turning circle off Church Street (back of Grape Lane), they will cross the swing bridge and turn round 360 degrees at the roundabout next to Trenchers, before heading up St Ann’s Staith, where they will be joined by those taking part in the fancy dress and floats parade.
If that goes well, there’s every chance of the parade being expanded next year.
The rowing presentation night takes place at Abbey Wharf from around 7.30pm on the Monday, with the spectacular fireworks show bringing proceedings to a colourful conclusion.
Chairman of the regatta, Ivor Greer, confirmed that due to lack of funds, there will be no air shows at this year’s regatta.
"We’re hoping people are going to be generous over the weekend and fill collection buckets up and do us proud with sponsorship, which all the local businesses do anyway,” he said.
"Everything else is planned and in place and we hope the weather is good for us.
"We’re looking forward to it and any helpers that we can get over the weekend would be appreciated.”
Email [email protected] for more details on being a volunteer.
It is hoped to bring back the popular greasy pole for the 2026 regatta, now the committee has acquired a new pole after the previous one snapped.
A fundraising event for the regatta is set to take place at The Royal Hotel in Whitby on Friday, November 14 – more details to follow in due course.
And if you’d like to donate in the meantime visit https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/whitby-regatta-2025 which is a link to the regatta’s Crowdfunding campaign.