Carnival 2026
Dates: Friday 31st July to Sunday 9th August – Carnival Day – Saturday 8th August 2026
Carnival 2026 begins in:
Please make a donation towards the cost of staging this annual event.
Programme 2026
To view the 2026 Carnival programme, please click HERE
Dates for your diary
Carnival 2026
Friday 31st July to Sunday 9th August – Carnival Day – Saturday 8th August 2026
Carnival 2027
Friday 30th July – Sunday 8th August
dates may be subject to change.
Local Businesses
Wells Carnival couldn’t exist without the support and sponsorship of our local business community.
When you visit Wells, be it for the Carnival or at any other time of year, please visit their shops, restaurants and all other enterprises within the town and show them your support.
What’s it all about
Wells-next-the-Sea in the heart of North Norfolk enjoys a traditional summer Carnival for residents and visitors. A week of family fun and events including a Carnival Day procession around the town featuring floats, fancy-dress, pull-and push-along vehicles and much more. Traditional seaside activities include a sand-castle competition, town crier competition, gillying on the quay and the crowning of the Carnival Royals.
A bit of history …
Wells Carnival is a not-for-profit organisation run by a team of hardworking volunteers who live in or near the town of Wells-next-the-Sea, on the beautiful North Norfolk coast. The event has been taking place annually at the beginning of August for well over 100 years. The Carnival, which was originally known as the Wells Regatta was just a one day event and the earliest programme we have is for Saturday 24th July, 1926 (unless you have an earlier one). Over the years the event has grown and the carnival committee ‘Crew’ (they wear the fuchsia pink T.shirts) now organise more than 100 events over the 10 days of Carnival.
We endeavour to provide entertainment for all ages: a teddy bears picnic for the little ones, raft race and funrun for the energetic plus painting and sandcastle competitions for the artistic. We also put on history walks and various workshops plus live music over 6 nights along with the ever popular Screen on the Green. The event culminates on the 2nd Saturday with the main Carnival event, including fancy dress competitions, a parade around the town and a spectacular music event in the evening.