Partnership project with Sandown Carnival Association
Just a few decades ago, sporting a jaunty hat on Sandown Regatta day was an absolute must in the Island seaside town. It’s still a fondly remembered summer tradition for generations of residents. This year, we helped to co-write a successful Arts Council application with Sandown Carnival Association to bring Regatta hats back!
Long-time Sandown resident and councillor Heather Humby, remembers when everyone picked up their Regatta hat from one of the stalls lining Pier Street as they headed down to the Esplanade.
It was part of the great fun of Regatta day with all sorts of hats on show…silly tiny ones, big ones with tassels, flowery ones’ says Heather. ‘It’s terrific that Sandown Carnival has found a way to revive one of our town’s great traditions. Heather Humby
One innovation, with sustainability and the Isle of Wight’s UNESCO Biosphere status in mind, was to create hats using seed paper. After the parade the hats can be planted so the seeds germinate to produce floral displays.
The Carnival’s great hat revival also celebrates the town’s connection with legendary hatmaker Gertrude Shilling, famous for her outlandish hat designs at Ascot races. Half a century ago, Mrs Shilling’s creations were paraded on the Esplanade and she was invited to crown Sandown’s Carnival Queen in 1975.
Over 200 participants took part in workshops to help design and make hats. The project not only involved members of the public but also residents of the Briars Care Home and pupils from Broadlea Primary School.
The children were intrigued by the compostable material provided to make the hats and experimenting with it sparked a lot of enthusiasm and marvellous creations! Pupils actively asked for more days like this!
Sharon Freeley, Headteacher, Broadlea Primary School
The residents and staff really enjoyed the hat-making activity. The workshop also allowed for the fact that residents living with dementia tend to have a short attention span, so it was great that they felt free to dip in and out. All in all, it was a really enjoyable experience and we were delighted to be a part of it
Lesley Shaw, The Briars Care Home
The project also supported three creative practitioners who were engaged to lead the project, these were Keely Hunter, Teresa Grimaldi and Joel Lines. Keely, an artist and milliner, created seed paper hat kits that can be planted after use. 250 seed hat kits were produced and distributed throughout the project.
In workshops led by Teresa and Joel the community was encouraged to co-create hats in the style of Gertrude Shilling who was known as the Mascot of Ascot because of the extravagant hats she wore. Gertrude’s hats were designed by her son, the famous milliner David Shilling who had this to say about the project:
As I have championed hat-wearing all my life I am happy to see this project, after all hats are good for you, and those around you. You do not need to spend a fortune on them as you can get a few scraps together and make something fabulous with a bit of time and care. And perhaps now more than ever we all need some charming innocent fun moments in our lives! David Shilling
The workshops were a lively mix of creative fun and the Shilling Showstopper hats were the talk of the town.
Hats are good fun. They seem to extend a sense of joy and amusement to the wearers and the viewers. The revival of Sandown’s Regatta Hat tradition provided a perfect opportunity to be ambitious and wildly creative in making and wearing hats in lots of different settings. And focussing on Gertrude Shilling and plantable seed hats provided so many local conversations about the past and the future, where wildflowers might grow and what ridiculous and bigger hats might evolve next year. I have thoroughly enjoyed my involvement in facilitating the creativity of all our Regatta Hatters. A tradition most worthy of revival.
Teresa Grimaldi, artist.
The Regatta Hat project created many memorable moments including the unique spectacle of an upturned 99 ice-cream cone parading in the carnival to school children asking for more days like this! People of all ages came together to celebrate the tradition of hat wearing, and we saw many smiles and laughter on the day. We are grateful to the Arts Council England for the opportunity to realise this project, and we are confident that it has helped us to become a stronger organisation. We hope that you will join us next year.
Hat wearing at the Sandown Regatta was a unique and fun tradition that brought the community together and gave the town a sense of identity. Reviving this tradition has not only provided creative opportunities for all, but it has also brought vibrancy, joy, and lightheartedness to Sandown and that’s definitely worthy of tipping your hat to.
Tracy Mikich, creative producer
Special thanks to Broadlea Primary School, The Briars Care Home, Sally and Simon Perry, Simon Avery, Katie Stone, Teresa Grimaldi, Joel Lines, Keely Hunter, Sharon Freeley, Lesley Shaw, Tiena Eccles, Julie Jones-Evans, Lorraine Harley, Harry Finnis, Dawn Lincoln, David Shilling, Heather Humby, Boojum& Snark, Tracy Mikich, Sandown Hub, Our Sandown, Julian Winslow, Sue Jackson, Georgia Newman, Dawn Haig-Thomas, Paul Holbrook and everyone who participated in the project.
