Wells' bank holiday calendar is about to get considerably wetter, as the city's Moat Boat Race returns today, Monday, 31 August. Homemade rafts and their questionably dry crews will take to the Bishop's Palace moat, while Wells Recreation Ground hosts a free day of stalls, games, activities and entertainment.

It is a particularly welcome return this year after the future of the long-running event was thrown into doubt by a shortage of volunteers. A new organising team involving Wells City Council, City of Wells Lions, St John Ambulance, Wells Community Network, Project Factory and other local volunteers came together to keep the tradition afloat.

When and where is Wells Moat Boat Race?

The event takes place around the Bishop's Palace moat and Wells Recreation Ground today, Monday, 31 August. The public fun day is scheduled from 10 am until 4 pm, with the Grand Parade beginning at 11 am before the action moves onto the water.

Organisers aim to have all racing completed by 5 pm, so anyone coming principally for the boats should expect the action to continue beyond the Recreation Ground activities.

The key timings are:

• 10 am: free fun day begins on Wells Recreation Ground
• 11 am: Grand Parade
• After the parade: teams take to the Bishop's Palace moat
• 4 pm: Recreation Ground fun day is scheduled to finish
• By 5 pm: organisers aim to have completed all racing

What races are taking place?

This is not exactly Henley. The vessels must be homemade, paddles are part of the deal and staying on the raft is generally considered a useful part of the technique.

The programme includes the Rescue Race, Bishop's Cup, adult and junior obstacle races, a junior sprint challenge and a junior backwards race. There are also prizes for the best-designed raft and the best fancy-dressed crews in adult and junior categories.

In the Rescue Race, four adult crew members paddle down the moat before collecting another two team members and heading back to the finish. The Bishop's Cup sends adult teams down to the turning point and back, while the obstacle course is revealed on the day.

Junior teams, made up of competitors aged 13 to 17, have their own challenges. These include a one-way sprint and the rather less conventional task of tackling part of the course backwards.

Can you still enter a team?

No — entries for the 2026 race have closed. Teams can have up to eight registered members, although between four and six crew members are allowed on a raft at any one time.

Competitors have an earlier start than spectators, with registration opening at 9 am and closing at 10.30 am. Rafts must be inspected before launch and all competitors are required to attend their designated safety briefing.

Every crew member must be able to swim and wear a life vest while on the water. Closed-toe footwear is compulsory, while junior competitors require parental permission and protective helmets are strongly recommended.

What else is happening?

There is plenty planned for anyone whose preferred relationship with the moat involves standing safely beside it. Games, community stalls, activities and musical acts are due to be based around Wells Recreation Ground as part of the revived fête side of the event.

Local charities and community organisations have also been invited to take stalls, giving groups the chance to raise money and meet visitors. The return of the fête forms part of plans to make the day about more than simply watching homemade vessels attempt to remain vessel-shaped.

The Bishop's Palace also has events running across the bank holiday weekend, although admission to Palace attractions is separate from the Moat Boat Race activities outside.

Are there any rules spectators should know?

There are a couple worth knowing before packing the picnic. Alcohol is not permitted in the area around the Bishop's Palace under local restrictions, while barbecues, camping stoves and other equipment that could create a fire or explosion risk are not allowed within the event footprint.

Picnics are encouraged. Visitors should also keep public rights of way clear while racing and other activities are taking place.

And however tempting the moat may look after watching other people fall into it, it is not there for spectators to take a dip. Organisers warn that the water varies considerably in depth and should not be swallowed because of the wildlife living in and around it.

Why does the Moat Boat Race matter to Wells?

Boat racing on the Bishop's Palace moat dates back to 1963, when the idea emerged through St Thomas' Youth Fellowship and the first event was staged on the Spring Bank Holiday. The race was eventually discontinued after 1974 before being revived in 2001.

Its survival was by no means guaranteed in 2026. City of Wells Lions had warned that more help was needed to stage the event, before volunteers and organisations from across Wells stepped forward to ensure the bank holiday fixture could continue.

So the boats are back, the fancy dress is ready and the safest place to enjoy all of it remains firmly on dry land. For Wells, though, the bigger win this year came before anyone picked up a paddle: one of the city's best-known community traditions is still afloat.

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