Paddle Round the Pier

Stuart Rolt

Jun 10 |19:28
paddle_round_pier_WEB
Paddle Round the Pier
 
Europe’s largest free beach festival returns to the Hove Lawns on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd July.  With acres of sea, land and air sport demonstrations and exhibitions, stalls, live music performances and entertainment for the whole family, this annual event has grown into one of the staples of the Brighton seafront calendar.
 
This family-friendly festival started as a picnic for surfers living in the area with the side-aim of raising funds for charity. Now 15 years later, the Paddle finds itself attracting around 45,000 visitors each year and has raised £100,000s for good causes.
 
The famous centre-piece to the weekend is the ‘Paddle Something Unusual’, which invites social teams and businesses to paddle the most ridiculous thing they can around the West Pier. Previous entrants have tried a crane, a plane, an Iceberg and a huge replica of Tracy Island.
 
More serious water events, with top athletes taking part from across Europe, this year include: The Euro-Enduro Stand Up Paddleboard 20 Mile Race, the second leg of the British Paddleboard series, the UK’s toughest Ocean Ski race (measuring in at a hefty 20 miles), The National 3km & 1km Open Water swims, the Musto Dinghy Sailing Regatta and the Errant Surf Holidays ‘Pier to Pier’ Malibu Races.
 
The ‘Paddle’ prides itself on offering something for everyone. As well the serious athletic contests there are endless fun activities for any level of competency.
 
After its huge success last year, the Disability Accessibility Beach is back for the second time. Special wetsuits/lifejackets, balloon-wheeled wheelchairs and built beach decking are all being utilised to help people that can’t normally get access to the sea.
 
It’s not just water-borne activities that feature over the weekend, urban land sports get a healthy look in as well. Skateboarding and BMX will feature prominently, with Streetsurfing, Landpaddling, Beach Volleyball and Urban Athletics all making an appearance over the weekend. There’s due to be Beach Buggy and Beach Cruiser display, or you could simply lie back and watch the RNLI perform their off-shore Air/Sea Rescue Display.
 
For the predominately lazy amongst us, the Brunswick’s Tropic beach bars will be open during the day. In addition there’s a Beach Luau on Saturday evening.  Tickets for this special after-party will be on sale on Saturday in the Paddle village from the highly visible (and always friendly) Paddle volunteers.
 
As always there’ll be a live music arena with up and coming bands playing throughout the two days. There’ll be a full-on Ukulele Jamboree as enthusiasts play Hawaiian style; or why not throw some shapes at the Brighton Jive Tea Dance? The children’s entertainment arena also returns with entertainment provided by and for kids.
 
Entrance to the Paddle village is free, but the organisers are asking for a paltry £1 donation. This makes a huge difference to the charities involved. This year all money raised will be split equally between: The RNLI, the Teenage Cancer Trust and Surf Relief.
 
By Stuart Rolt
 

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