141 Years of the Regatta Festival

A rite of passage for all Wicklow locals and an enduring attraction for those from further afield, the Regatta Festival is this year entering its 141st year, and what better way to celebrate than with another Regatta Festival?

 What began in 1878 as an annual boat race has since evolved into a celebration of Wicklow Town in general and of the nautical tradition that has shaped its culture and customs.

 Once concentrated to Wicklow’s harbour, the Regatta has spread out all over the town since its inception and has grown to include music, food, entertainment, and plenty of family fun in its annual traditions.

 The festival is flanked by the ever-popular Singing Pubs events that take place across every pub in Wicklow Town and gives local singers and pubs the chance to show off what they’ve got.

 The Regatta Queen is a tradition that dates back to the 1960s and is an open invitation for ladies aged 18 – 25 to take part in a number of events and let the public decide if they should be crowned Queen.

 Local musicians and those from all over Ireland will be gracing pubs and band stands around the town and providing entertainment for the thousands of people who will traverse through the town in search of craic agus ceol.

 The festival will be topped off as the night sky lights up with a firework display from the ruins of The Black Castle on Wicklow Town’s coast.

 And that’s only scratching the surface on the fun events scattered throughout the Regatta weekend, and while we’ve made every effort to inform you about what’s going on – the best way to experience it is by venturing through the town and letting the fun find you.