Townie Spirit Meets Baymen Pride: Urban and Rural Regattas Share More Than a Love of the Water

Rowers competing in the Harbour Grace Regatta

One of the things that I remember and cherish the most about my childhood is the time I spent around the bay. My late father was born and raised in a small fishing village called Lawn, located on the southern tip of the Burin Peninsula.

During the summer months, we would visit Lawn and camp at Golden Sands just outside Marystown. The people were close-knit, and it seemed that everyone looked out for one another. One of the things I loved about Lawners was their sense of humour; most people had multiple nicknames and their outlook on life differed, mainly because they didn't seem to let things get to them as much. I loved the laid-back atmosphere of it all.

This is not a rant about how different townies and baymen are. It's more of an appreciation for our differences, which I have always loved more than I care to admit. My preamble is more of a set-up for discussing the regatta experience for Newfoundlanders and tourists visiting them in our beautiful, unique province. They provide something for everyone.

When hosting a regatta, the patron experience differs in an urban centre from rural areas because regattas are unique sporting events. They are cultural mirrors, reflecting the mood and pace of the places they are hosted. Depending on where you live in Newfoundland, the regatta can be a wild bash or a beloved community ceremony. Let's look at their differences.

The Royal St. John’s Regatta is a spectacle in St. John's. Quidi Vidi Lake becomes a sea of sizzling grills and vendor stalls. You’ll find throngs of spectators—from lifelong townies to curious visitors—all swept up in the pageantry. The rowing is elite, the atmosphere electric, and the tradition runs deep. For city dwellers, it’s a civic holiday that hinges entirely on the weather, adding a quirky anticipation to the day. And if the crowd is large enough, sometimes it can take half a day to walk through people to reach the other side of the pond. No exaggeration.

However, the regatta differs based on its design in coastal communities such as Harbour Grace, Brigus, or Placentia. Here, it's not just an affair; it's a family get-together. It's where generations come together, where nearly everybody rows or knows somebody who rows. The races are framed by local lore: Brigus with its harbour-come-postcard, Placentia with the reverberation of the 1877 feat when a rowing group took their boat across the island to row in the capital, or Harbour Grace, whose pirates and pioneers breathe through the sea breeze.

Although the regattas' sizes vary—St. John's draws tens of thousands, and the rural ones draw a near-full community—the principle is the same: pride, determination, and respect for the water. The atmosphere is different. In the city, the regatta is a spectacle. Around the bay, it's a handed-down tradition, hand to hand and tale to tale, along weathered wharfs and kitchen tables.

What keeps them all together isn't the rowing. Whether waving from the shore or rowing with blistered hands, rural organizers make these regattas unforgettable. Each regatta, in its way, reminds us that while the sun may shine a little brighter "around the bay," the spirit of this town shines wherever water flows.

In a province where the best chance of running into a friend—or a distant family relative—is at a wedding, a funeral, or a regatta, these events are more than boat races. While the Royal St. John’s Regatta is the most famous—dating back to at least 1816 and often called the oldest organized sporting event in North America—the smaller, community-driven regattas truly capture the province’s spirit.

How do you define a Regatta?

The word regatta comes from the Venetian dialect of Italian, meaning “a fight” or “contest.” Originally used to describe boat races among gondoliers on Venice’s Grand Canal, the term now refers to a series of boat or yacht races, often accompanied by festive events. It has come to mean much more in Newfoundland: celebrating heritage, teamwork, and coastal pride.

It’s More Than Recreation

Regattas in Newfoundland trace their origins to a time when rowing was more than recreation—a way of life. Fishermen and merchants relied on boats to transport goods and reach offshore fishing grounds. Rowing contests began as informal rivalries between crews and grew into formal events tied to holidays and civic pride. Today, fixed-seat rowing races are the main event, with teams of six rowers and a coxswain powering sleek wooden shells through sheltered waters. But regatta days also mean music, food, games of chance, and small-town camaraderie in full bloom.

Regattas That Define the Coast

Harbour Grace Regatta 

Harbour Grace Regatta, founded in 1862 on Lady Lake's peaceful waters, is North America's second-oldest continuous sporting event. Unique to this regatta is its rich mix of tradition and showmanship. Apart from the standard fixed-seat rowing races, the festival also features a Cardboard Boat Race with home-constructed inventions, the Pirates vs. Pilots Race cheekiness as a nod to the town's pirate and aviation history, and a range of family activities like kayaking, local community gatherings, and a pyrotechnic fireworks grand finale at sunset. It’s an event where history rows hand-in-hand with humour and community pride.

Placentia Regatta 

It was established in 1963 and continues one of Newfoundland's most storied rowing traditions—that of the Seven Placentia Giants, who rowed heroically to St. John's in 1877 and won the Fisherman's Race. The modern-day celebrations carry that tradition with an appropriate set of competitive rowing races, lively family activities, local vendor stalls, and moving ceremonies honouring legendary crews and the ongoing community spirit. When you come, you're not just watching races—you're in the pages of a story of glory and determination.

Brigus Blueberry Festival Regatta 

Brigus's regatta is as beautiful and pure as the berries it honours. Integrated into the town's Blueberry Festival in August, the regatta combines the thrill of harbour racing with the comforts of home cuisine—blueberry pie, moose burgers, etc. The harbour rings with sound and glee, children play amidst colourful celebrations, and the village enjoys stargazing and dancing when darkness falls. It is all taken care of in the warm hospitality of one of Newfoundland's most picturesque seaside villages.

Weather, Whimsy, and Regatta Roulette

One of the most charming quirks of Newfoundland’s regattas is their utter reliance on weather. Known colloquially as “Regatta Roulette,” crews and townspeople rise early on race day awaiting an announcement: “It’s a go!” or “It’s postponed.” This unpredictability adds suspense—and a certain magic—to regatta mornings across the island.

Why They Endure Despite Location

While equally dynamic, urban regattas have a different pace, often defined with diverse crowds, cityscapes, and an amalgamation of old tradition and new spectacle. Whereas rural rowing teams may push boats full of family heritage, city teams are likely to be sponsored by clubs, schools, or corporations and maintain a broader but possibly less individualized sense of identity. This also depends on the rowing crew, who might beg to differ.

The banks are not only lined with recognizable faces—there are also tourists, food stalls, live stage performances, and sponsored booths crammed in there. It's not so much about maintaining pedigree as embracing shared energy, multiculturalism, and competition on an expanded scale.

Enjoying the regatta atmosphere in Newfoundland depends on where you live. Some might say that rural regattas anchor you in place and heritage, while city ones get you moving with festive attitudes. Others might say that rural regattas aren’t just about competition—they celebrate identity, community, and resilience. Boats have names passed down through generations, and the shorelines are lined with neighbours, family, and wide-eyed visitors.

You may have to experience both to appreciate. A townie may think that the true essence of a regatta depends largely on big sponsors and large crowds. However, around the bay, in small harbours where tradition still dances on the tide, regattas are a whole different experience, and that's a great thing.