Isle of Wight Carnivals

Each major town hosts an evening of colourful frivolity as a stream of floats make their way through the centre of town. Thousands of onlookers line the streets to catch a glimpse of Rio on the Isle of Wight. Floats are hugely varied and carry pageant queens, local community groups and even pets in fancy dress! If you’re looking for things to do on the Island, attending a carnival is a box you have to tick.

As well as being quite a spectacle, the Isle of Wight carnivals have their own claim to fame. The town of Ryde hosts the oldest carnival in the UK which has also won the "UK's Most Popular Carnival" award chosen by the UK’s rental giants HolidayLettings.co.uk.

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Queen Victoria was a patron of the carnival which first took place in 1887 in celebration of her Diamond Jubilee. Make sure you check the 'whats on' calendar when you’re choosing which carnival to attend. Most carnivals happen in the daylight, but some towns host an illuminated carnival where the procession parades through the night, creating a fantastic light display. All carnivals are free to attend and are very popular, with up to 40,000 people lining the streets to take part in the celebrations, so make sure you arrive early to grab a great viewing spot.

Download the carnival timetable➤