By Press Release
Lora Peacey-Wilcox- Leader of the Isle of Wight Council
As I am writing this article we hear sad news that our Queen is seriously unwell. At the Council’s cabinet meeting (which took place last night) I will have sent her and her family our strength and prayers at this time from, not just our administration, but Island residents.
What I planned to talk about today is the amazing summer of events we have just experienced on the Island.
We are just about to host the final stage of the Tour of Britain on Sunday. While some may complain about the few hours of disruption this might cause on our roads, I am sure it will be amazing for the Island and will draw more attention to us as a base for events of international renown. It’s certainly a good opportunity for people to advertise their business along the route.
We have the Isle of Wight Festival, which is known across the world and has attracted major artists and performances, but we also have a raft of other events which, while they may not be so well known elsewhere, make the Island an amazing place to be through the summer months.
In just the last month these have included, among others, the Garlic Festival, the Cowes Powerboat Races, the Classic Car Extravaganza, Wolverton Manor Garden Show, Chale Show and the Wight Proms, which I personally thoroughly enjoyed. The range of events is extraordinary. There are too many to list everything here but they all benefit our local economy and show what we as an Island can do.
Another international event is the Scooter Rally that took place over the August Bank Holiday. I did not realise until I spoke to some of the participants that it is the largest rally in the world. For this world-renowned event to take place here is another marker as to what we have and what we can offer here.
Lastly, in July we saw the return of the Island’s Carnival Season. There were 14 parades in all. It is a great shame that the Cowes Carnival parades could not take place but we hope they will return next year. We missed them. Nevertheless, the parades that took place showed the real spirit of the Island, with many local groups and volunteers taking part and giving their time to create something that gives great pleasure to many residents and visitors alike.
As a council, we recognise the importance of all these events and many more to the Island. We are looking at how we can encourage and support them and attract even more good events to the Island. I sincerely thank all of those who make these events happen – I am aware of the volunteers and hard work involved. Thank you!