High winds and rain couldn’t dampen the spirit of Swanage Carnival 2023 and there were plenty of times over the eight days of entertainment when the sun shone on the organised chaos.
The carnival from Saturday 29th July to Saturday 5th August 2023 attracted thousands of visitors to Swanage in Dorset, alongside plenty of locals taking part in events and enjoying the live music.
The sun shone for the Swanage Fire Station team competing in the We’re a Knockout
Week started with glorious sun
The carnival started on Saturday with glorious sunny weather for the new We’re a Knockout competition on Sandpit Field which was an instant hit attracting lots of local teams.
On the following day it rained in the morning but just before the procession was due to start it miraculously dried up, allowing the floats to parade through the streets as planned.
On Wednesday most of the day’s events were wiped out by gales and heavy rain but the awards for the photo marathon went ahead as did the fireworks in the evening.
This meant that Friday ended up as a bumper day with Wednesday’s events including the gymnastics and the dog show moved to Friday, alongside the vintage car show.
The live music remained extremely well attended with crowds packing the main marquee at Sandpit Field every night through to 11 pm. On Thursday late afternoon and evening the EHM event successfully took place at Prince Albert Gardens, overlooking the bay
The heavens poured at times!
The marquee is dismantled for another year with secretary of Swanage Carnival, Kevin Langdon
“We are really quite unique!”
Secretary of Swanage Carnival, Kevin Langdon said:
“The carnival is becoming the biggest event on the South Coast with so much free entertainment over eight days – we are really quite unique!
“There was lots of rescheduling due to the weather but plenty of entertainment indoors to keep a smile on everyone’s faces.
“However we did get lucky with the weather on key moments of the carnival – the three nights of fireworks, the procession on the Sunday and the wheelbarrow race on the Friday, so we can’t really complain!”
The carnival hub at Sandpit Field pictured at night
Sway All Stars dance Sunday evening away
Swanage Carnival’s chosen charities and good causes for 2023
Last year the carnival, which took place over eight days of continuous sunshine, raised a record of £29,150 for local good causes and there are hopes that despite the more variable climate, the same amount will be able to be distributed to charity again.
President’s choice
- The Memory Box Project – giving memory boxes to children bereaved of parents or siblings
- Dementia Friendly Purbeck
Carnival annual choices
- Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance
- Swanage Stroke Club
Chosen organisations for 2023
- Allsort’d
- Careline
- Girlguiding Swanage
- Going for Bust – helping fight breast cancer
- Herston Village Hall
- Mount Scar Cygnets pre-school
- Swanage and Wareham RFC
- Swanage Army Link
- Swanage Community Defibrillator Partnership
- Swanage Youth Cricket
- Swanage Disabled Club
- Swanage Linking Lives
- Swanage Town and Herston Football Club
- Friends of MS Purbeck
- The Lexi May trust
- Tyler’s Friends Charity
One of the buggies in the procession
Raw Samba shake things up on the seafront
New ideas for next year
Kevin Langdon added:
“We’re already thinking of new events and new ideas for next year – the planning for 2024 has already started!.
“Many think we get paid for organising and running the carnival but we are all volunteers and we welcome more people to get involved. There’s plenty of roles for people to do and it needn’t be a huge commitment – there’s lots of little jobs that can make a big difference!”
Swanage Carnival will be back next year from Saturday 27th July to Saturday 3rd August 2024, although the next charity event at Sandpit Field is the Swanage and Purbeck Rotary Summer Community Fete from 12 noon to 5 pm on Thursday 10th August 2023.
Watch video of Swanage Carnival highlights by Andy Lyons
Further information
- More about Swanage Carnival
More photos
All dressed up for the wheelbarrow race through Institute Road
Alan from Essex makes his annual pilgrimage to Swanage
Dancing in the street during the procession
We’re a Knockout team looks a knockout!
Swanage swimming star Daisy scoops first in her swimming race again
Eyes down in the marquee for bingo
Gig rowing is oarsome
More carnival members are always welcome
The Swanage Carnival Triathlon gets underway
Plenty of winners during the week
The Scruff’s Fun Dog Show featuring The Black Paw
Spinning the decks at EHM
Prince Albert Gardens at EHM
Plenty of swimming races
Three evenings of fireworks all went ahead as planned
The End for another year but back again for 2024!
