Deal Carnival Cascade 2017 on Thursday 27th July

The Deal Carnival Cascade takes place Thursday 27th July at the Walmer green. Starts 2pm-8pm. Meet representatives of local charities and clubs – plus traders’ stalls selling a range of quality goods.

The Origins of Deal Carnival

The history of the Association can be traced back to 1826.  After the closure of the Naval Dockyard in Deal the towns people started to become restless.

A great number of dock workers and sailors with very low spirits living locally became a worry to the local Council, they saw a need to raise interest and attract people into the area and came up with the Deal and Downs Regatta. At this time, all the events were water borne and the press of the time reported that they were a tremendous success, with what was described as ‘a very colourful display out on the sea’.

Royalty became associated with the Patronage starting with the last Naval Commander of the former Dockyard, the Duke of Clarence, who later became William IV. Followed years later by Queen Victoria.

Deal Walmer and Kingsdown Regatta Court 2017

Sailing and rowing events were the mainstay of the celebrations, usually over just one weekend in August, or in later years, September.

The title ‘Royal Regatta’ appears on many Programmes from earlier this Century, right up to the Second World War when the title was dropped and became just ‘Deal Regatta’.

There have been breaks in the running calendar for the regatta, these have been due to many of the towns people fighting away from home as the breaks all coincided with wars.

Since the late 1940’s the Regatta has been held every year, proving that the original idea was a good one, bringing revenue and a large number of tourists to the area.

 Now, after more than 180 years – Deal Regatta is still here.

 As the event evolved, the Regatta Association organised water-borne events, pet shows, motor shows, carnivals, open-air concerts, firework displays and even an ‘It’s-A-Knockout’ tournament. The current calendar of events, put together by a Committee of less than 10 volunteers, now takes up more than a week of days and nights.

 The committee take the whole year, from the end of the previous year’s Regatta to the beginning of the next, to piece together all the intricate details into one entity.

Members of the committee are extremely grateful to the other local clubs who kindly lend a hand by helping us set up events which help ensure that the traditional Sailing and Rowing Regatta events are kept going.

compiled & written by Roy Stone

www.dealcarnival.moonfruit.com