Shaldon Water Carnival

We’ve got carnivals, and we’ve got regattas. But only in South Devon can you find a crazy, fun filled combination of the two, and it’s a great attraction for the whole family. Shaldon Water Carnival is a ridiculously silly day of fun and revelry that’s been going strong for 50 years. If you like all the excitement and colour of a carnival and love the water too, then why not head down to Shaldon and find out how we like to mix things up?

Across from the town of Teignmouth on the expansive and tranquil Teign Estuary is the picturesque village of Shaldon. Each year the village holds its Water Carnival, a day of fun and excitement on and around the water. It’s a typically West Country take on Carnival, with everyone from the community pitching in and participating to make this day one of the highlights of the South Devon summer. For the first two years the carnival crowned a King Neptune, who was usually a local fisherman. This has now been replaced by a more traditional Carnival Queen, but she’s still got a good chance of getting her feet wet.

From the wacky to the traditional
The competitions and races range from the wacky to the traditional, with some outstanding carnival floats made locally and teamed by different groups of locals. The colour and diversity of the fancy dress floats creates a wonderful view on the water, and huge efforts and amounts of time are volunteered in the run up to the Shaldon water carnival to get the craft seaworthy and looking their best, making it a real ‘community’ event. If you're looking for somewhere to stay during the event, make sure you check out some of the excellent deals at the Cliffden Hotel and Longmeadow Farm; both only minutes from the Carnival.

You’ll find festivals and events taking place all across South Devon throughout the year, many of which are themed on its strong maritime and agricultural heritage, but all with that distinctive West Country charm. The water carnival at Shaldon is a firm family favourite and well worth a visit during the summer.