History of the Harbour Grace Regatta

The annual Harbour Grace Regatta took place on Saturday in Harbour Grace. It is the second-oldest continuous sporting event in North America, with the Royal St. John’s Regatta being the oldest.

The first official regatta was held on July 22, 1862, on Lady Lake, where it is still held today.

In the early years, organizers used a silver trumpet to signal crews and announce start times across Lady Lake. 

From 1960 to 1968, the Williams Brothers (Gordon, Leonard, Kevin, David, Frederick, and Clayton) won the Harbour Grace Regatta championship for nine consecutive years. They won again in 1974.

Today, the Harbour Grace Regatta is traditionally held on the fourth Saturday of July on the waters of Lady Lake, depending on the weather.

It continues to use traditional six-oared wooden shell styles similar to the fixed-seat races in St. John's.