By Andrew Smith
Teams with a thirst for speed, barrelled their way through Swanage in Dorset for one of its most cherished and chaotic traditions – the annual carnival wheelbarrow race.
Thousands of spectators lined the streets on Friday 1st August 2025 as Swanage Carnival neared the end of an unforgettable week, to watch more than 60 teams of two, in eyecatching and inventive fancy dress tearing through town, making 14 stops along the way to down a drink at each.
Thousands lined the streets as the teams got ready at the start line on Shore Road
Obligatory thrills and spills
Teams of pushers and riders manoeuvred their wheelbarrows at high speeds from the starting line in Shore Road to Swanage Pier before a U-turn took them back along the High Street before a madcap dash down Station Road and back to the finish outside the town’s Information Centre.
There were, of course, the obligatory thrills and spills, collisions and catastrophes, and showers of beer as the barrowly believable scenes of chaos played out in Swanage town centre.
But all the mishaps, missteps and mistakes were handled with a good sense of humour and a never say die attitude as teams picked themselves up, dusted themselves off and set off once again in search of glory.
It was brilliant, bonkers and fun as amazing fancy dress teams got ready to race
Brilliant, bonkers fun
Secretary of Swanage Carnival and event manager Kevin Langdon said:
“Word has got out that there’s no other event like Swanage Wheelbarrow race in the country and people are arriving here from all over – there’s even one team from Manchester who have brought a wheelbarrow down with them on holiday!
“I think it is now one of the most popular and anticipated events of the whole carnival, we start getting phone calls as early as Christmas asking us when the wheelbarrow race is going to be.
“Some teams treat it like a real race, but for most people it is just brilliant, bonkers fun, like nothing else. Everyone gets the chance to dress up and run, and drink. Over the last couple of years it has got bigger and bigger and it is now ridiculous!
“The beauty is that it’s one of the last events of the week and it sums up carnival completely – organised chaos, and absolute entertainment with everyone having a good time. The streets will be packed with everyone watching it and getting into the carnival spirit.”
Winners on the night were all employees of Swanage outdoor company Cumulus – Callum, Laurie, Amber and Sass
“Running all year in training for tonight”
The overall winners, Callum and Laurie of the Wobbly Wagon, who work for Swanage outdoor company Cumulus, completed the course in around 10 minutes and picked up prize goody bags for their pains but claimed that the glory of winning the title meant more than any trophy.
Amber and Sass of the Girlie Pop Slayers – also Cumulus employees – were the first women’s team to cross the finishing line and the best fancy dress title was awarded to pirates Beth and Yaz.
Callum said:
“To be fair, we have been running all year in training for tonight. We all work for Cumulus and we were determined to win the race this year – we have entered for the past four years and we have got closer each time, finishing third last year.
“I have been sprinting every day this year and people have asked me what event I was training for – I’m not sure they believed me when I said it was for the wheelbarrow!”
Pirates Beth and Yaz were declared winners of the fancy dress award
Some of the many Swanage Carnival volunteers who made the event so successful
“One of the best ever”
Kevin added:
“This year’s carnival has got to be one of the best ever. The people are amazing, every event has been fully supported and fully booked, the showground and marquee have been full of people every night, it’s just been brilliant.
“The Red Arrows kicked it off on the Saturday and it really hasn’t stopped since. You can see the amount of people already here for the wheelbarrow race – the good name that Swanage Carnival has made for itself is unbelievable.
“None of us get paid for organising it, we just do it because we love it, and because it gives us the opportunity to raise thousands of pounds to go back into good local causes.”
More photos
Send in the clowns – one of many circus themed entrants to the wheelbarrow race
At an early stage in the race, most teams were still hopeful of glory
Several competitors took the opportunity to pay tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, who would have probably enjoyed such a bonkers event!
The streets of Swanage were safer for the presence of superheroes Batman and Robin
Flying down the home stretch of the course, not the Wareham ospreys, but the Swanage eagles
Fancy dress was everywhere you looked – and some was a lot more fancy than others!
Matching costumes from this eyecatching couple…
And a great turn of speed as well!
In keeping with the Cirque du Swanage theme, circus favourites from mimes to strongmen were everywhere
Getting by on a wing and a prayer, the wheelbarrow angels
Despite a gruelling course, and a number of spills, some were able to mask the emotion!
Cheers to us! Another pair of hopefuls round a sharp turn past the library corner
There were nun better to call on divine intervention as the race neared its end
Unflappable! The Swanage eagles were full of hope going into the race
Not everyone finished with a wheelbarrow, but everyone finished with a smile
Swanage wheelbarrow race has become one of the most anticipated events on the calendar
Just look at that! Amazing sights and scenes at a brilliant event!