Island Carnival Memories is a new website to celebrate our Isle of Wight carnival heritage.

‘A Rather Bewildering Spectacle’ NLHF Project 2019-2021

134 years of carnival on the Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight has one of the oldest carnival traditions in the UK.

In August 1887 Ryde hosted a special event to mark Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee at which the Queen herself was present – it comprised a fancy dress parade, torchlight procession in the evening, with music from marching bands and many shops, businesses and houses decorated with flags and flowers. The County Press described it as a ‘rather bewildering spectacle’. The following year a similar event was hosted and named ‘Ryde Carnival’.

Ventnor holds claim to being the second oldest carnival on the Island. It held its first carnival on 10th September 1899. The procession started at the Town Hall in Albert Street at 7pm and ended in Ventnor Park which was illuminated with Chinese lanterns. The evening concluded with carnival ball at the Town Hall which lasted until 4.40am. There was also a prize for the best decorated or illuminated house. The IW Gazette reported it was ‘successful from the beginning to the end’.

In the years following Newport, Sandown, Shanklin, St Helens, Bembridge, East Cowes and Yarmouth all had their own carnivals which took place each summer - many of which have active associations still hosting an annual parade, keeping the tradition alive.