By Helen ffitch
In a display that was memorable for the drama, the Red Arrows enthralled thousands of people, despite black clouds and a brief rain shower during the opening day of the Swanage Carnival in Dorset.
Many had travelled into the town days beforehand but those who left it to the morning of Saturday 26th July 2025 to get into Swanage, found themselves in a queue of traffic heading towards the end of the Purbeck peninsula very slowly!
Swanage was packed with people
Buses were late, vehicles found it hard to find a parking space, and at one point a coach got stuck in the High Street, but those who made it, witnessed a dramatic performance by the RAF aerobatics display team.
The planes took off from Bournemouth Airport, circled inland round Wareham and then flew straight down the valley over Corfe Castle, over the Swanage Carnival tents on Sandpit Field and out into the bay towards Old Harry.
The low dark clouds created a dramatic backdrop as the red, white and blue vapour trails turned the sky into a mass of moody colour like an impressionist painting.
Oohs and ahhs from the crowd
The Red Arrows swooped low over the bay, twisting and turning, splitting away from each other before circling back and then appearing to be on a collision course but of course they crossed over perfectly much to the oohs and ahhs from the crowd.
Towards the end of the display the black clouds decided to join in the performance by soaking everyone out in the open. Of course everyone stayed and got wet, not wishing to stop filming and photographing the spectacle.
Then as quickly as it started, the rain stopped and the Red Arrows flew off towards the Isle of Wight.
It was a real scoop to get the Red Arrows to kickstart the Swanage Carnival which runs for eight days until Saturday 2nd August 2025 and a triumph for the organisers who work hard to make these things happen.
Darren Strong’s last year as chair of Swanage Carnival before Neal Diffey takes over the reins
“Amazing display”
Chair of Swanage Carnival Darren Strong said:
“It was an amazing display, the town was really buzzing, and there was a real carnival atmosphere. I’ve never seen the car parks, shops, bars and cafes so full.
“Swanage Bay is so ideal for a Red Arrows display and we were lucky there was only a brief spell of rain, as the Red Arrows had to cancel its later performance in Norfolk due to really bad weather.
“Of course this was only day one and there’s lots more planned for the rest of the week. On Sunday afternoon from 3 pm there’s the carnival procession and we’ve had a whole host of entries.
“There’s a circus theme but we never know what will turn up until the day. It’s the unusual and madcap which makes Swanage Carnival so special!
“I’d just like to say thank you to the people of Swanage for putting up with all the disruption, thank you to all the visitors who come back year after year, and of course all the volunteers who make it all possible!
More photos
