Royal Hobart Regatta

When is the Royal Hobart Regatta 2023?

The Royal Hobart Regatta in 2023 is on Monday, 13 February.

The Regatta starts on 11 February and ends on the official public holiday on 13 February.

Royal Hobart Regatta 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026

Royal Hobart Regatta FAQ

Is the Royal Hobart Regatta a public holiday?

Yes, Royal Hobart Regatta is a public holiday in Tasmania. The Regatta always ends on the second Monday in February, allowing everyone to have a long weekend with Monday off.

Is entry to the Royal Hobart Regatta free?

Yes, entry to the Royal Hobart Regatta is free.

History of Royal Hobart Regatta

The Royal Hobart Regatta was first established as a way to celebrate when Tasmania was discovered by Abel Tasman.

Abel made the first European sighting of the island in 1642, so the Royal Hobart Regatta will celebrate the 400th anniversary of Abel’s original sighting within 20 years.

In 1828 Sir John Franklin, who was Tasmania’s governor at the time, started the Royal Hobart Regatta. 

It was declared a public holiday and included competitions between local sailors and merchant navy members.

A regatta is a sailing race, so the Royal Hobart Regatta features many different competitions, from jet ski races to dragon boat races to sailing, rowing and open water swimming races.

When the Regatta was first established, Sir Franklin allowed all to attend for free and the free attendance tradition continues to this day.

However, if you want to compete in any of the events, you will need to pay a competition fee.

Regatta Details

The Royal Hobart Regatta is an important event in Tasmania and has been celebrated for almost 200 years. 

In addition to being Tasmania’s oldest sporting event, the Monday ending the regatta is also observed as a public holiday, which makes it the oldest continuing public holiday in Australia.

The event features entertainment, food stalls and activities for the whole family. It is a great way to get together with friends, family and locals to celebrate Tasmania’s culture, history and sailing heritage.

The Regatta takes place on the grounds of Macquarie Point, which is known as the ‘Regatta Ground.’ The location is perfect for a boating event, and it’s located right next to the Queens Domain.

It was originally hosted at the Pavilion Point near the governor’s house, but in 1856 the governor moved it to Macquarie Point.

The event has had a total of 10 Royal visits throughout its history and has seen over 7 million spectators! 

In 1955, the Regatta was attended by over 80,000 people, which was nearly the entire population of the city at that time.

And the event has only gotten better with age, so whether this is your first time at the regatta or your fiftieth, there’s bound to be something amazing here for everyone to enjoy!

How to Celebrate the Royal Hobart Regatta 2023

Watch the events

The 3-day Royal Hobart Regatta weekend features so many different events. There are competitions to watch, from sailing to swimming to tug-of-war to woodchopping. 

All of the events are free to watch and their entire program can be found here.

Beyond the events, there will also be a military display featuring a warship from the Royal Australian Navy, as well as a fireworks show in the evening. 

There will also be live music as well as food vendors set up around the event, and the Regatta will also feature a carnival with several rides and many more activities for both parents and kids to enjoy. 

For those who don’t feel like competing in the Regatta’s events, the carnival will have several easier opportunities to compete and win prizes.

No matter what type of activities you enjoy, the Royal Hobart Regatta weekend promises to have something for everyone.

Whether it’s watching the competitions, experiencing the carnival, or simply enjoying the fireworks and music, you are sure to have a great time.

Join the events

The Royal Hobart Regatta has open competitions for swimming and sailing, allowing people to sign up to compete and have the chance to win trophies and prizes for placing highly in the races.

While there is a fee attached to enter into the contests, there are many different categories to choose from and the fees range from $30 – $100 AUD, making it an affordable opportunity.

Those who wish to attend should check the entry conditions and registry times which can be found here.

The Regatta is an event that brings together locals and visitors alike, everyone cheering on the same teams and having a great time even if they don’t win. 

It has become a tradition for many families and friends who get together every year to have a fun day out and enjoy some friendly competition.

Explore Hobart

Tasmania is known throughout the country for having some of the most beautiful areas in the country, and those in Hobart for the event have a prime view to some of the best places in the whole state.

For those who love the outdoors, the view of the entire city from the top of kunanyi/Mt. Wellington (kunanyi is the indigenous name, Mt. Wellington is the European name) is absolutely amazing. 

There’s also the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens as well as the Tasman National Park located near Port Arthur.

For those who love art, Hobart features the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, which has traditional paintings and artworks from historical artists.

There’s also the MONA, the Museum of Old and New Art, a modern art gallery with many unique and inspiring pieces.

There’s also the Battery Point Sculpture Trail, for those who want to combine their love of nature and art into one amazing trip.

And for those who love unique buildings and architecture, Hobart has the Tasman Bridge, St. David’s Cathedral and the Salamanca Markets.

Port Arthur also has many old buildings that have been maintained since the first Europeans settled in Tasmania hundreds of years ago.

All of these attractions and more are at your fingertips in Hobart.

And because of the Royal Hobart Regatta 2023 3-day long weekend, you’ll have plenty of time for both the Regatta and a spectacular time on the town!

If you have any ideas for celebrating the Royal Hobart Regatta in 2023, we’d love to hear more, so feel free to post in the comments below! 

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