Reasons To Be Cheerful On Wight

An array of festivals is set to make it a sizzling summer on the Isle of Wight, covering everything from music to sailing and food. The fun is due to kick off this weekend,  check out some of the top events in 2010:

Isle of Wight Walking Festival: Nature lovers of all types will be coming together to enjoy the Isle of Wight’s stunning scenery as part of the Walking Festival from the 8th – 23rd.  Over 300 walks are being organised for the festival this year, which is the UK’s largest annual walking festival and is now in its 12th year.  Traditional heritage walks, nature rambles and pub walks will be complemented by family friendly dinosaur fossil expeditions, speed-dating strolls and evening ghost walks, meaning there is truly something for everyone.  www.isleofwightwalkingfestival.co.uk

Isle of Wight  Hockey Festival: This annual event takes place at  Victoria Recreation Ground, in Newport over Saturday and Sunday 8th – 9th May 2010: matches for men’s, ladies and mixed teams with sides travelling and taking part from across the UK and beyond, along with Isle of Wight and Vectis Ladies Hockey Club’s. It  promises to be a great weekend of fun  end of season hockey and partying.  Teams entered so far;  Penguins,  Grumpy Old Men, Kenley,  Wild Geese,  Romsey,  Spongebobs, Vectis , DOTs,  London Eds,  Hot Flushes, SAGA , Netbusters,  Dirty Ol Flashers,  Minstrels,  Old Alfredians,  Cheeky Monkeys,  GUB,   Southampton University,  SUES, Swanage and Wareham,  Cranleigh Coqs and Srehsalf.

Riverfest – a celebration of river and community life. The Newport Riverfest on Saturday, 15th May will celebrate the heritage, community, businesses, and wildlife associated with the historic Medina River on the Isle of Wight.

Riverfest is being organised by the Footprint Trust, a local educational charity, and will be a fun, family event focusing on the river. More details from the Island Pulse click here:

Walk the Wight 20th Anniversary raising funds for The Earl Mountbatten Hospice. (From Bembridge to the Needles, 26.5 miles, or from Bembridge to Carisbrooke,12.5 miles, or from Carisbrooke to The Needles,14 miles, or the flat walk from Sandown to Shide, 8 miles).

Jazz on the Meadow 2010 Ventnor Botanic Garden. Award-winning jazz legend Courtney Pine is heading for the Isle of Wight this May The addition of Edana Minghella and The Ric Harris Trio has been welcomed by the organisers of Jazz on the Meadow 2010

Jazz on the Meadow 2010. Saturday 22nd May – Ventnor Botanic Garden.

Set in the beautiful surroundings of the Ventnor Botanic Garden’s meadow, Courtney Pine plus full supporting lineup will headline an afternoon and evening of simply the best music around. Watch this space, as another very special guest is soon to be announced! Read more from the Island Pulse click here: and here:

Isle of Wight Renaissance Festival  A celebration of community spirit, a one day festival at SmallBrook Stadium Ryde, which will include; drama, music, art, dance and historical re-enactment. The festival will raise money for local charities.  Festival opening hours are: 11am – 8pm. Ticket prices are: Adults: £6, Children aged 5 – 16: £4, Children under 5: Free.  Read more news from the Island Pulse Isle of Wight Renaissance Festival.

Yarmouth Old Gaffers Festival 2010.  The Festival always has a great variety of free entertainment for visitors both afloat and ashore, beginning on Friday.  With more than 100 visiting traditional sailing, steam and motor vessels, including the cream of the ‘Old Gaffers’ fleet this is a weekend not to miss. www.yarmoutholdgaffersfestival.co.uk

Isle of Wight Festival: The renowned Isle of Wight festival will be getting music fans in the mood for summer from the 11th to the 13th of June at Seaclose Park, Newport. An incredible line up is planned, including Paul McCartney, Jay-Z, The Strokes, Blondie, Pink, The Editors, Reef, Orbital, Doves, Calvin Harris, Friendly Fires, Ocean Colour Scene, James and Squeeze.

Round The Island Race  The 2010 JP Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Yacht Race, will be taking place on Saturday 19th June.  This is sailing’s answer to the London Marathon as 1600 boats, crewed by some of the biggest names in sailing as well as keen amateur sailors, skim past The Needles, the Island’s distinctive rocky structure, round St Catherine’s Point and Bembridge Ledge and back into the Solent. Various viewing points around the Island.

FolkStation a special folk festival; certainly not the biggest but it is a unique experience. Located at the award winning Havenstreet steam railway, the festival has built up from a “fringe” group of folk musicians who gathered together to play at railway events over 34-year history of the railway. Folkstation with John Spiers and Jon Boden, Deborah Hodgson, Lucid, Andrew Kay and Carole Etherton, Capella, Terry Emm, The Dollymops, Smoke and Mirrors and Pete’s Sake. At IW Steam Railway, Havenstreet. www.folkstation.co.uk

Royal Isle of Wight Agricultural Society Show   2010 will be on Sunday 18th July This year the Society will be holding the show over one day only. It is hoped that by condensing everything into the one day it will provide a better show with more for spectators to see. 

Ryde Arts Parade: This is the Isle of Wight Carnival Learning Centre’s flagship event opens the 2010 season of summer carnivals. This years theme – Amazing Journeys – is the second of a four-year Olympic inspired programme of carnival development activity. This year the Arts Parade will start from a different venue and at a later time. This is to prepare for the 2011 Parade which will form part of the Opening Ceremony for the International Island Games. The Parade will form part of the annual Ryde Regatta and Arts Festival, for more information visit the Isle of Wight carnival Learning Centre website HERE:

Race for Life  on the Isle of Wight. It is one of the most prestigious charity events of the year, let’s make this year’s event the biggest and best yet.  Cancer Research UK are delighted to be hosting a Race for Life event  in Medina Playing Fields and Seaclose Park.  More news from the Island Pulse on Race For Life event click here:

Cowes Week: Sailing enthusiasts and socialites alike will be heading to Cowes between the 31st July and 7th August for a week of lively celebrations. This unmissable fixture in the summer sailing and social calendar since 1826 attracts up to one thousand boats ranging from hi-tech yachts to classic day-boats, not to mention tens of thousands of spectators who turn up to take part in the fun.  For more information visit www.cowesweek.co.uk

Ventnor Fringe Festival The Island’s answer to the world famous Edinburgh Fringe,  the Ventnor Fringe Festival will take place over four days in locations at varied as parks to basements, churches to courtyards, hosting artists in disciplines as diverse as spoken word, film, music and theatre.  The Festival, which will run from the 11th – 14th August 2010 to coincide with the 121st Ventnor Carnival celebrations is an open arts festival in which artists from any discipline and from any location in the world can take part in, performing and experimenting with their work, networking and developing new skills and ideas.

Garlic Festival: The popular Garlic Festival is happening over the weekend of the 14th and 15th August and is one of the highlights of the Isle of Wight’s food calendar. The village of Newchurch hosts this two day event, which is attended by around 25,000 people each year. The garlic themed treats on offer include garlic sausages, garlic prawns, garlic coffee and beer, and even garlic ice cream.

Hawkfest A Celebration of IW Festival 1970.  On the weekend of 29th August 1970, Hawkwind played their first legendary festival… The Isle of Wight. Exactly 40 years to that day, and on the same spot, Hawkwind will hold their 40th anniversary Hawkfest… over the bank holiday weekend of 27th – 29th August 2010  read Island Pulse: Hawkwind Festival at Afton 40yrs On More news on Hawkwind Hawkfest from the Island Pulse click here:

Yarmouth Carnival Week. With Yarmouth Carnival Field Sports on the Green, Yarmouth, Saturday, 8th, 3pm; Yarmouth Carnival Decorated Dinghies, Yarmouth Harnour, Sunday 9th, 4pm; Yarmouth Carnival Crabbing on the Harbour Wall, Yarmouth, Monday, 10th, 4pm; Yarmouth Carnival Fishing off Yarmouth Pier, Wednesday, 12th, 6pm; Yarmouth Carnival Sports, Thursday 13th, 4.30pm; Yarmouth Carnival Lifeboat Demonstration, Friday, 14th, 7pm; Yarmouth Carnival Procession leaving Yarmouth Green, Saturday, 15th, 5.30pm.

Heritage Open Days 2010 have now been confirmed. As in previous years, the event will take place on four days from Thursday 9th to Sunday 12th September.  Free of charge and literally on people’s doorstep, Heritage Open Days is an event for everyone, whatever their background, age and ability. Read more… Or visit Island Pulse Heritage Open Days News  (archive)

Bestival: The spring/summer festival season ends with a bang in September as top music talents take to the stage for Bestival from the 9th – 12th. Prodigy, Dizzee Rascal and The Flaming Lips are just some of the acts confirmed for the event. Bestival is well known for its vibrant, friendly atmosphere, with plenty of fun – and fancy dress costumes – alongside great music.  A multi award-winning 3 day boutique music festival curated by Radio 1 DJ Rob da Bank, Bestival is fun and quirky. The annual dressing-up theme is always widely embraced,  and attractions include the Come Dancing Spiegeltent and the Bollywood Bar. Set in the leafy surrounds of Robin Hill Country Park on the Isle of Wight, it’s the best way to round off the summer festival season. Read more from the Island Pulse here:  

Little Britain Challenge Cup Regatta : The LBCC is the largest annual, construction industry yachting regatta in Europe with over 250 yachts taking part and over 3000 people racing. 16th – 19th September 2010: For more information visit www.littlebritain.co.uk

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