The Royal St. John's Regatta: The Story Behind St. John's Favourite Summer Tradition

The Day St. John's Waits for the Weather.

Ask almost anyone who grew up in St. John's about their favourite day of the summer, and there's a good chance they'll say Regatta Day.

Not Christmas in July.

Not George Street Festival.

The Regatta.

It's the one day each year when the city gathers at Quidi Vidi Lake to cheer on rowers, eat the annual candy apple, try their luck at the game booths, and hope the weather cooperates.

There's just one catch.

Nobody knows for certain if it's happening until that morning.

It Started With a Race

Long before there were food tents, carnival games, or crowds lining the shore, there were boats.

The first documented rowing race on Quidi Vidi Lake took place in 1816.

At the time, St. John's was a busy fishing port, and rowing was part of everyday life. Crews of fishermen and sailors worked together on the water and, like competitive people almost everywhere, eventually decided to find out who was the fastest.

Those early races proved so popular that by 1818 they had grown into an organized regatta. In 1826, a committee was established to oversee the event, a committee that still organizes the Regatta today.

More than two hundred years later, crews are still racing across the same lake.

The Boats Haven't Changed Much Either

One of the things that makes the Royal St. John's Regatta unique is the boats themselves.

Unlike Olympic rowing, where athletes race in sliding-seat shells, Regatta crews row fixed-seat boats. The seats don't slide back and forth, which means the rowing technique is different and relies much more on upper-body strength, timing, and teamwork.

Each crew consists of six rowers and a coxswain, who steers the boat and calls the race. The shells are owned by the Regatta Committee and built to be as identical as possible, so every crew competes in the same style of boat. The race isn't just a straight sprint either, crews row to the halfway point, turn around a buoy, and race back to where they started. 

Fixed-seat rowing isn't unique to Newfoundland, but it is rare. While most competitive rowing around the world now uses sliding-seat boats, the Royal St. John's Regatta has proudly held onto the style that has been part of its history for generations. 

Older Than Canada

It's easy to overlook just how remarkable that is.

The first race on Quidi Vidi Lake took place in 1816.

Canada wouldn't become a country until 1867.

The Royal St. John's Regatta has survived Confederation, two world wars, economic hardship, and enormous changes in the city itself.

Yet every summer, the boats still line up at the starting line.

The crowds still gather.

And St. John's presses pause for a tradition that has never really stopped.

When Did It Become "Royal"?

For more than a century, it was simply known as the St. John's Regatta.

In 1919, King George V granted the event permission to use the title "Royal" in recognition of its long history and importance.

It wasn't a title given lightly.

By then, the Regatta had already been bringing the people of St. John's together for more than a hundred years. The royal designation recognized what locals already knew: this wasn't simply a rowing competition. It had become part of the city's identity.

More Than a Sporting Event

Technically, the Royal St. John's Regatta is a rowing competition.

In reality, it's one of the biggest community celebrations of the year.

The shoreline around Quidi Vidi Lake comes alive with the smell of mini donuts, fresh-cut fries, and barbecue. The chip trucks always have long lines, and for many people, a curry or samosa from the Hindu Temple St. John's tent is just as much a Regatta tradition as watching the races themselves.

Children race from booth to booth hoping to win a giant stuffed animal. Families spread blankets across the hillsides. Friends who haven't seen each other in months somehow find one another in a crowd of thousands.

Some people spend the whole day watching every race.

Others barely see a boat.

And somehow, both feel like they've been to the Regatta.

If I'm honest, it was always my favourite day of the year.

When I was a kid, I wasn't thinking about history. I was thinking about the games, the food, and whether this would finally be the year I'd win one of those oversized stuffed animals.

When I was a teenager I woke up at 5 AM all summer to train with my friends in preparation for the 6 minute race. 

Looking back, I realize I was taking part in a tradition that had already been bringing the city together for generations.

Regatta Roulette

The Regatta has another tradition that visitors usually find amusing.

The night before the races, bars and patios across the city are packed.

Why?

Because nobody knows whether they'll have to work the next morning.

If the weather is good, it's a holiday.

If it isn't, everyone heads to work.

Locals call it Regatta Roulette: going out the night before and gambling that you'll wake up to a day off instead of an alarm clock.

Sometimes it pays off.

Sometimes you're sitting at your desk by nine o'clock wondering if that last drink was really worth it.

Planning to Visit the Regatta?

If you're visiting St. John's in early August, the Regatta is one of the best opportunities to experience the city like a local.

Get there early to find a good spot along the lake, dress for changing weather, and come hungry. Between the races, the food, the midway, and the atmosphere, it's easy to spend the entire day at Quidi Vidi.

If you have time afterwards, take the short walk to Signal Hill, where another of St. John's defining stories unfolded more than 250 years ago.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Royal St. John's Regatta?

The Regatta is traditionally held on the first Wednesday in August, although it may be postponed if weather conditions make racing unsafe.

Is it really the oldest annual sporting event in North America?

By most historical accounts, yes. The first documented race took place in 1816, and organized regattas have been been held since 1818.

Why is it called the Royal St. John's Regatta?

King George V granted the Regatta permission to use the title "Royal" in 1919, recognizing its long history and importance.

Is Regatta Day a provincial holiday?

No. It is a civic holiday observed only in St. John's.

Why does the date sometimes change?

Because the races depend on safe conditions on Quidi Vidi Lake. If the weather is unsuitable, both the Regatta and the civic holiday move to the next suitable day.

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The Royal St. John's Regatta has never been just about rowing.

It's about tradition.

It's about community.

It's about generations of Newfoundlanders gathering on the shores of the same lake for more than two hundred years.

Every August, children win stuffed animals, families eat mini donuts, crews race across Quidi Vidi Lake, and St. John's adds another chapter to one of North America's oldest sporting traditions.

Some histories are remembered.

Others are still being lived.

I'll be photographing this year's Regatta and updating this article with original photos afterwards.