National Family Island Regatta 2026
The Bahamas' oldest and biggest sailing regatta — hand-built wooden work-boat sloops racing in Elizabeth Harbour since 1954.
- 21 April 2026 → 25 April 2026
- George Town, Bahamas
- When21 April 2026 → 25 April 2026 · Held annually over the last full week of April in Elizabeth Harbour, George Town, Exuma. The 2026 edition (the 70th) runs 21–25 April 2026.
- WhereElizabeth Harbour, George Town, Exuma
- CategorySailing & Regattas · sailing
The Bahamas' oldest and biggest sailing regatta — hand-built wooden work-boat sloops racing in Elizabeth Harbour since 1954.
<p>The National Family Island Regatta is the flagship event of the Bahamian sailing calendar and the country's oldest, first staged in 1954. Each April, Elizabeth Harbour at George Town, Great Exuma, fills with fleets of hand-built Bahamian wooden sloops — the traditional working-boat design, all sail and ballast and crew hiked out on pry-boards — racing across four classes (A through E) for prize money and island pride.</p><p>On shore it is a full-blown festival: rake-and-scrape and Junkanoo music, conch stands and Bahamian food, and a town that swells far beyond its normal size for the week. The 70th regatta runs 21–25 April 2026. It is the definitive Out Island event — part serious sailing contest, part national homecoming.</p>
Where it happens
How to get there
George Town is served by Exuma International Airport (GGT), with flights from Nassau and some direct US routes. Book accommodation on Great Exuma many months ahead — the town is full for regatta week — or visit on a liveaboard or charter boat in the harbour.
Hotels & rentals near National Family Island Regatta 2026
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Getting to the event
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