The Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta is a regatta in the English county of Devon. The first recorded regatta was in 1822 and the regatta was formally established in 1834. It is based on the River Dart, in the town of Dartmouth, and the village of Kingswear opposite.
The Regatta takes place over the Thursday, Friday and Saturday where the Friday is the last Friday in August. The Regatta is formally opened on the preceding Wednesday evening, although as the regatta has grown, some events start as early as the weekend before.
The Regatta is organised by a committee, and a review is presented at a public meeting each year called by Dartmouth Town Council. Many other organisations are involved in running events under the auspices of the Regatta Committee.
History
The first recorded regatta in Dartmouth was in 1822. There were three sailing races, one six-oared gig race, and a military band played out at the Dartmouth Castle and 120 attended a ball.
In 1834 the regatta, which used to be run by leading gentlemen of the neighbourhood, changed its format when the inhabitants of the town called a meeting and elected a committee of their own.
In 1856 it became a Royal Regatta when Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and the Prince of Wales came into Dartmouth in a flotilla of nine boats on an unscheduled visit because of bad weather, arriving the day before the regatta started on 11 August. Prince Albert and his son went up to Sharpham Point in the new steamboat Dartmouth, which had arrived on the river only the previous day. The Queen followed in the state barge, going as far as Dittisham. The Queen came ashore at 6 pm and was met by the borough mayor. The Queen then drove in a carriage over 'The Ridges' to the 'Black House' at the junction of Jaw Bones/Swannaton Road/Stoke Fleming Road. She was accompanied by Sir Henry P. Seale on horseback. That night there were special illuminations both ashore and afloat. The Queen donated £25 and Prince Albert gave £20 for three rowing races to be competed for by the sailors of Dartmouth and this was done on the second day of the regatta. The Queen the next day sailed on to Plymouth but before leaving bestowed the title of 'Royal' on the regatta.
The Committee write each year to the Monarch to request the renewal of the Royal Patronage.
The patron was Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, he last visited the Royal Regatta on its 175th anniversary celebrations in 2019. The patronage was returned to Her Majesty the Queen in 2022.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Regatta Committee took the decision to cancel the event in 2020 - only the 11th time it had been cancelled since 1834. The Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta will celebrate its 178th event over the week of 19–26 August 2023, with the detailed Regatta running 23-26 Aug 23 after an Opening Ceremony on Wed 23 Aug 23.
The Regatta was awarded a Silver Visit Devon tourism award in 2019, in the category Best Tourism Event/Festival of the year.
Events
Although the event is described as a regatta, the charter specifically provides that a regatta should take place on the River Dart during a fair in the town. To many visitors, the events in the town are more visible, but there is a vast array of events both on and off the water.
Rowing
There are two distinct forms of rowing competitions that take place throughout the week.
The West of England Amateur Rowing Association holds one stage of its championship on the Thursday. This rowing is in skiffs and sculls, with competitors from across the West of England and further afield.
With heats commencing on the Sunday preceding Regatta Week and finals in Regatta Friday, the local rowing is at the heart of Dartmouth Royal Regatta, where local crews (representing pubs and clubs from the town) compete over various distances in purpose built rowing boats.
Air displays
The regatta has for many years hosted the Red Arrows RAF display team.
Historically, displays have also been made by the Royal Navy Lynx helicopter display team, the Black Cats. In addition, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, RAF Typhoon, Harrier and Jaguar aircraft have displayed, along with RN Sea King and Chinook helicopters. In recent years it has also had The Royal Artillery parachute display team landing in the river Dart.
More recently, in light of restrictions in place, the focus of the event has been on activities afloat and ashore rather than in the air, and air displays have become less prevalent.