Despite a series of recent setbacks, one of the Island’s oldest carnivals is getting ready for the 2026 summer season.
Founded in 1889, Sandown Carnival had to cancel this year’s popular annual fireworks display in the town after taking a double hit to its finances in 2025.
Difficult hurdles
In the annual report to its AGM this week, the community group says:
“In February, we were notified of a large and unexpected service charge related to our High Street fundraising shop followed, a couple of months later, by a tripling of the business rates bill for our float-building and storage facility on the edge of the town.
“These financial blows left us no choice but to cancel one of our popular upcoming events and, in October, we announced that our 2026 New Year’s Day fireworks event would not take place.
“This was a particularly sad and difficult decision for our committee to make, but it has stabilised our funds and allowed us to budget for a full programme of summer events in 2026.”
Search for a new home
This year, the Carnival also faces having to leave the base at East Yar Road where it has kept Sandown’s float since the 1970s, as Southern Water progress their plans for a new water recycling works on the site. The annual report tells this week’s AGM:
We’ve had to begin the search for a new home.
“At the time of writing, a final outcome for the company’s plans is not settled and we continue to discuss with Southern Water their potential financial support for our relocation.
Coueslant: We’re run entirely by volunteers
Sandown Carnival chair, Paul Coueslant, is nevertheless optimistic for the coming summer season. He says,
“Community groups like ours always live on a bit of a financial knife-edge.
“We’re run entirely by volunteers and depend on the support of the public, local businesses and the Town Council as well as the income from our High Street fundraising shop.
“We’re confident that taking the drastic step of cancelling one of our big events puts us back on an even keel and means we can put on all this year’s summer entertainment that Sandown’s residents and visitors expect.”
The Carnival welcomes support via its shop situated at 77a High Street, Sandown PO36 8AD and online.
Sandown Carnival Association’s AGM takes place upstairs at Sandown Library, 119 High Street PO36 8AF on Saturday 31st January, 2.30pm. Members of the public are welcome.
News shared by Paul on behalf of Sandown Carnival. Ed
