National Family Island Regatta
The Bahamas' oldest and biggest sailing regatta — hand-built wooden work-boat sloops racing in Elizabeth Harbour since 1954.
- 20 April 2027 → 24 April 2027 (expected, dates TBC)
- George Town, Bahamas
- When20 April 2027 → 24 April 2027 (expected, dates TBC) · Held every year in the last full week of April, ending on the last Saturday of the month.
- DatesExpected, dates TBC: five days of racing in Elizabeth Harbour, ending on the last Saturday of April. The organiser usually announces them early in the year; check the official site before you book anything you can't cancel (checked 28 October 2026).
- WhereElizabeth Harbour, George Town, Exuma
- CategorySailing & Regattas · sailing
- GuideOur Bahamas travel guide →
The Bahamas' oldest and biggest sailing regatta — hand-built wooden work-boat sloops racing in Elizabeth Harbour since 1954.
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.
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. It runs over five days at the end of April, finishing on the last Saturday of the month. It is the definitive Out Island event — part serious sailing contest, part national homecoming.
Hotels & rentals near National Family Island Regatta
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Getting there & around on event days
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.
Where it happens
Getting to the event
Flights and airport transfers to GGT — search and compare without leaving the page.
Safety & travel advice
- Before you go, read the UK government's FCDO travel advice for the Bahamas (entry requirements, safety and local laws).
- Flight delayed or cancelled on the way? See our Travel Disruption guide for your rights and live alerts.