The Isle of Wight’s Yarmouth Old Gaffers Festival takes place over the weekend of 25th – 27th May 2012. This year the annual festival celebrates 60 Years of Her Majesty the Queen’s Glorious Reign.
A fantastic weekend of fun and activities, both on and off the water, is planned for this year’s Yarmouth Old Gaffers’ Festival.
Now in its 16th year, this year’s festival is held a little earlier than previous years because of the Diamond Jubilee, and will be themed around the 60 years of The Queens Reign. Queen Elizabeth II lookalike Mary Reynolds (watch video below) will be in attendance to perform the opening ceremony following a parade around town in a horse drawn carriage.
Grand Opening on The Quay, at 12 noon on Friday 25th May 2012. To view 2012 photo gallery click on image…
Yarmouth’s picturesque harbour will be filled with life and colour with more than 100 visiting traditional sailing, steam and motor vessels, including the cream of the Old Gaffers fleet. On shore there will be a huge range of attractions keeping the thousands of visitors entertained from morning til night all weekend.
The event encompasses much of Yarmouth and the Town will be alive with non stop entertainment, including a variety of styles of music and singing, continental market stalls in The Square, art/craft and food stalls as well as Children’s entertainment. There is also the chance to visit the “Big Boy’s Toys Field” displaying a selection classic vehicles.
There will be non-stop free day-time entertainment.
On Friday and Saturday evenings, there will be dancing in The Marquee, on the Quay, to live bands. Popular DJ Rob da Bank, of Bestival fame, along with Sombrero Sound System will be presenting the amazing Cuban Brothers, Skinny Lister (an extremely hot new Folk Indie Band) and a musical comedy act Abandoman on Friday evening.
Join in the free Kings and Queens fancy dress competitions!
Children’s entries will be judged in the square at 2.15 pm on Friday. The grown-ups have their turn in the marquee
on Friday evening.
This year’s entertainment includes:
• Ryde Extreme Performers – circus workshop
• Wight Hot Pipes – bagpipes, guitar & keyboard
• VOXPOP Choir
• Boogie Woogie Pianos with Team le Roc dancers
• Comedy costumes
• But That’s Another Story – storytelling
• Veteran and Vintage vehicles
• Beer Tent & real ale festival
• Food Stalls
• Guith Morris Dancers and Singers
• Blackbeard and Pirates and Sweep Impressions
• Children’s Fairground
• The Crew – shanties and sea songs
• Bloodstone Border Morris Dancers
• Gwen and Colin – guitar and vocals
• David Randini – magician
• Street entertainers
• Men o’ Wight Morris Dancers
• Isle of Wight Ghost Experience – ghost walk
• Slipshod Singers – male voice choir
• Freshwater & Totland Samba Band
• Yarmouth School Children – singing
• RNLI Lifeboat with search & rescue helicopter
• Fidgety Feet – fun jazz band
• Derek Sandy – the Caribbean singer
• Flower Festival in St James’ Parish Church
• La Banda Martinez
• Big boy’s toys
• Juke Box Jenny
• Ceri Dancers – Irish country dancing
• Grand Theatre of Lemmings – street theatre
• Bournemouth Carnival Band
• Vic Ellis – one man band
• Medina Marching Band
• HMS Victory’s 1805 Cutter
• Vectis Corps of Drums
• Isle of Wight Gospel Choir
• Fun Dog Show
• Vectis Brass Band
• Craft Fayre
• Local Street Market
• Ventnor Guitar Club – classic rock and pop
• Oyster Girls – ladies morris dancers
• Short Drag Roger – sea shanties
• Tae Kwon Do – Korean martial arts
• Ventnor Comic Jazz Band
• Caribbean Melody Steel Band
• Cool Connection – jazz, blues, latin and soul
• The Dance Preachers – good time folk and blues band
• The Morris Mynahs – junior morris dancers
• Last Orders – Irish band
• Denzil – guitar and saxophone
• The Trafalgar Drummer
• Vince and Richard - street entertainers
Watch Mary Reynolds on being the Queen on Video.
Keep an eye on this site www.yarmoutholdgaffersfestival.co.uk, which will bring you details of the spectacle and fun to be enjoyed by the participants and visitors to Yarmouth this year. The event starts at noon on Friday 25 May 2012 and continues all weekend, until late on Sunday 27th May 2012.
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