The History

Rowing and regatta competitions have been a major part of Canada’s sports scene for the past 200 years. Smaller matches were common in the 1700s, but the first formal regatta was held at Quidi Vidi Lake in St. John’s in 1816. Known as the Royal St. John’s Regatta, the event is the oldest athletic competition in North America. As the regatta’s popularity grew, the event garnered the attention of the British Royal family.

Prince Albert Edward, the future King Edward VII of the British Empire, attended the event in 1860. Afterward, the regatta became strongly associated with the monarchy. Since Albert Edward’s visit, it has become a tradition for a member of the British royalty to attend the Royal St. John’s Regatta each year. The success of the Royal St. John’s Regatta led to widespread interest in rowing throughout Canada and the establishment of several regatta competitions throughout the country.

Regattas are now attended by tens of thousands of people in Canada every year. And several competitions have now become important stops on the itineraries of international rowing teams hoping to make it to the Olympic Games.

All About Regatta Day

Regatta Day is one of the highlights of summer in Canada. The festive public holiday has been celebrated annually on the first Wednesday of August in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador since 1818. In recent years, upwards of 50,000 people have watched the Royal St’s John’s Regatta from the beautiful shores of Quidi Vidi Lake. While the regatta attracts some of the best rowers in the world, amateur competitors of all skill levels also vie for dominance during the single-day event.

Regatta organizers have standardized the competition to give teams an equal chance at victory. Early competitors used fishing boats to compete during the event. But, today’s rowers use 50-foot-long shells that seat a crew of six rowers and one coxswain. So when you visit St. John’s, you know you’re going to enjoy some wonderfully entertaining competition.

What to Do When You Get There

Aside from watching competitions, you’ll have a variety of different options for how you can spend you time. Organizers of the Royal St. John’s Regatta will welcome you to the shores of Quidi Vidi Lake with a carnival of fun games and delectable dishes. Plus, hundreds of vendors come out to share some of Newfoundland’s best treats. Smaller events throughout the region also offer exciting entertainment options for visitors. The local pet shop Critters n’ Things, for example, hosts a hamster race each Regatta Day. Other stores throughout the city offer great deals in honor of the competition.

If you’ll be visiting Ontario, you should also check out the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta. The competition is famous for its opening ceremony, a night of fireworks, and live music. Dine out on the dozens of delicious food and drink options from local food trucks to craft beer breweries. If you have a love of nature, you can also enjoy camping during the week-long event.

You may also like: The Best Places for That Fishing Trip You’ve Dreamed About

Regatta Roulette

If you’re hoping to attend the Royal St. John’s Regatta, just remember that the event is largely dependent on the weather. On the morning of the regatta, officials in St. John’s meet to determine if conditions are acceptable on Quidi Vidi Lake to allow for rowing. In the past, high wind and rain behooved organizers to postpone the event until the following day. Should the event be postponed, Regatta Day is just another business day in St. John’s.

The role of the weather in determining the day of the competition has led bars throughout Newfoundland and Labrador to hold what they call “Regatta Roulette” the night before Regatta Day. Revelers party heavily the night before the regatta. If the weather is good, they “win” and get a day to sleep things off. If the weather is bad and they “lose,” they have to go to work and tough it out on the job. (Whether they actually attend the regatta itself is, of course, up to the individual reveler.)

Have you ever attended the Canada regattas? Tell us all about your experience in the comments below!