Lyme Regis Regatta and Carnival Week 2025: Fireworksand Family Fun by the Sea

There’s something a bit magical about a British seaside town in summer, and Lyme Regis knows exactly how to crank that magic up to eleven. The countdown is officially on for Lyme Regis Regatta and Carnival Week, kicking off on Friday 1st August 2025, and it promises to be an absolute corker. With over 50 events lined up, the whole town is getting ready to put on a show—and, naturally, it all starts with a spectacular firework display lighting up the historic harbour.

If you fancy a week packed with seaside charm this is the one to mark on your calendar.

A Firework Display to Start It All Off

Nothing sets the tone quite like a sky full of fireworks, and Lyme Regis never disappoints. Carnival Week will get underway with an impressive firework display on Friday 1st August at 9.30pm, using the beautiful harbour as a jaw-dropping backdrop.

Locals know their way around a good fireworks show, with two major displays every year – one in the height of summer and one for Bonfire Night – and they’re a real point of pride. Expect loads of colour, big effects, and plenty of oohs and aahs from the crowds lining the seafront.

Best of all? It's absolutely free. Just rock up with your deckchair, maybe a cheeky portion of chips, and settle in for the perfect start to a week of festivities.

A Week of Wacky Races and Wonderful Events

It wouldn’t be Carnival Week without the return of the town’s most gloriously ridiculous event: the Wacky Wheelbarrow Race. Taking place on Wednesday 6th August at 7pm, it's exactly what it sounds like—a madcap race where all you need is a partner, a wheelbarrow, and ideally, some silly fancy dress. Prizes usually go not just for speed but for creativity, so now’s your chance to turn that wheelbarrow into a pirate ship, a rocket, or whatever your imagination (and a lot of duct tape) can muster.

And that’s just the start. The full programme reads like a greatest hits of classic British fun:

• Beach sports and a beach treasure hunt

• Bingo nights and quizzes for the keen competitors

• Egg catching and welly wanging (because where else would you get that?)

• A family dog show for your four-legged pals

• Live music, professional drummers, and ballet performances

• A Mountain Bike Stunt Team showing off skills most of us should probably not attempt at home

• A duck race that gets surprisingly competitive

New for 2025 is a nostalgic disco at the Marine Theatre on Friday 8th August, where DJ Dom Boull will be spinning tunes from back in the day. If you remember the old Marine Theatre discos (or even if you don’t), it's set to be a great night.

The Big Finale: The Carnival Procession

It all builds up to the Carnival Procession on Saturday 9th August, and it’s the sort of thing that’ll make you grin from ear to ear whether you’re seven or seventy. Starting at 8pm, the procession winds down Pound Street, along Broad Street, through Cobb Gate and along the seafront to Cobb Square.

Expect costumes, floats, music, dancers, and a whole lot of community spirit as 20 local groups come together to put on a show.

Fireworks for a Good Cause

One of the loveliest parts about Lyme Regis Carnival Week is that it’s not just about having a blast (although there’s plenty of that). Proceeds collected during the week go straight back into the local community, with donations awarded to local charities and good causes. So while you’re enjoying the festivities, you’re also helping out people and projects that make Lyme Regis the gem that it is.

And speaking of community celebrations, don’t forget that Lyme Regis will also be marking a major national milestone earlier in the year with the VE Day 80 Torchlight Procession and Beacon Lighting on Thursday 8th May 2025.

Interested in other ways to celebrate this historic event, why not celebrate the 80th Anniversary of VE Day with Fireworks?

Planning Your Visit

With its quaint streets, stunning West Dorset cliffs, and a seafront that's straight out of a postcard, it’s no wonder Lyme Regis is called the Pearl of Dorset. Carnival Week is a brilliant excuse to spend a few days soaking it all in, from fossil hunting on the Jurassic Coast to ice cream by the sea.

The events are free to attend (though bring a few quid for raffle tickets, food stalls, or that one game you absolutely have to win), and parking is available around town—though it’s wise to get there early as it gets busy.

Whether you’re heading down for the fireworks, the wheelbarrow race, the disco, or the pure nostalgia of a British seaside carnival, Lyme Regis Regatta and Carnival Week is shaping up to be one seriously fun summer escape.