By Isle of Wight Observer
The New Year fireworks, organised by Sandown Carnival, have been cancelled due to rising costs.
The Carnival Committee announced the news this week, saying it had been hit with large unexpected costs for its High Street fund-raising shop and a big hike in the rates bill for the Sandown float-building site.
Sandown Carnival chairman, Paul Coueslant, said: “As a non-profit community group, it costs us tens of thousands of pounds each year to put on our events and we usually manage to break even with the important financial help of the public, local businesses and other valued supporters like Sandown Town Council.
“But this recent double-whammy of financial blows has forced us to find an un-budgeted sum of around £10,000 and we’re really sorry this means there’ll be no New Year fireworks in 2026.
“On the plus side, we intend to fully fund our 2026 summer events, with all the ingredients that have made them so successful in recent years, attracting thousands to Sandown to enjoy the fun and entertainment on offer.
“Cancelling one of our annual events hasn’t been an easy decision, but it’s the only way to ensure all our 2026 summer events can be delivered as the town’s residents and visitors would expect, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone again next year.”
Full details of the summer events will be available at iw.observer/sandown-carnival and on the Sandown Carnival Facebook page.
Tilly Walder 
Isle of Wight Observer