Following on from the fantastic, pirate-themed extravaganza in 2022 we are looking forward to a "Right Royal Celebration" this year! With the 450th anniversary of Bideford being granted a Charter by Queen Elizabeth 1st and the coronation of a new King we could not have chosen anything else!
Start preparing those costumes and cardboard boats now!
After two years of Covid restrictions last year the Bideford Water Festival was back bigger and better than ever! .... Bideford Rotary were delighted that so many people braved the weather to enjoy the spectacle but then you perhaps should expect to get wet at a Water Festival!
If you enjoyed the day, please do make a donation to Bideford Rotary's charity account via the link below. All costs are covered by our wonderful sponsors, particularly Atlas Packaging, Brunswick Wharf, Blak Property, Harland & Wolff and Next Step Independence - HUGE thanks to them and all the advertisers in the programme! All donations will be distributed by Bideford Rotary to Torridge and North Devon charities, local schools and local good causes to support our local community.
The Bideford Water Festival is a fabulous community event that the Rotary Club of Bideford are
proud to continue to organise. There are heaps of photos of the last few
years' Water Festivals on Facebook. If you have been involved and want
to look for picture of yourself or your friends, see: Bideford Water Festival Facebook Page
Challenge friends & family to build a cardboard boat then come along and see if they can survive the course! There are prizes for the most entertaining and the best capsize!
CARDBOARD BOAT REGATTA CONSTRUCTION RULES - click here
CARDBOARD BOAT APPLICATION FORM - click here
CARDBOARD BOAT SPONSORSHIP FORM - click here
FOR TIPS ON HOW TO BUILD A CARDBOARD BOAT - click here
REGAL PADDLEBOARD CHALLENGE - click here
This year there will be a Right Royal Fancy Dress Competition (open to all ages) and a wonderful Regal Paddleboard Challenge (for adults and youths over 10yrs old) and a Regal Gig Challenge. With steam boats, model boats, sailing dinghies and canoes all displaying their seamanship skills and the quayside lined with music, entertainment, games and stalls, food, drinks and icecreams it really will be another fun day out to remember.
TO BOOK A STALL ON THE QUAYSIDE: Use the APPLICATION FORM here
Wonderful Trophies produced by sponsors Atlas Packaging for the Model Cardboard Boat Race of 2020 and the Pirate Festival of 2022
Huge thanks to Seth Conway for editing our videos; The North Devon Yacht Club, the Gig Clubs; Kenwith Model Boat Club; Dave Gabe; John Puddy; Pete Sawyer; The Mayor of Bideford; Sir John Rous; the safety rib; the RNLI; the Phoenix Morris Dancers; Ben Trevor- the Crows Nest Troubadour; the Applecorers; the Lynmouth Shanty Crew; Captain Wooley and Bodie; the canon team; the PA guys; everyone who has helped make the event so successful in 2022 and to Bideford Canoe Club for helping fish out all the debris from the river at the end of the races!
For those of you who enjoyed the Pirate Treasure Trail in 2022, the answers are below
'What We Do' Main Pages:
Throughout the year there are several inter-club sporting competitions, including the infamous Skittles League, a multi-disciplined pub sports evening organised by Torrington Club at Langtree and last year both a table tennis and beach Petanque challenge.
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