Record summer hope for Weymouth and Portland (From Thisisdorset)

Record summer hope for Weymouth and Portland

9:40am Saturday 4th July 2009

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WEYMOUTH and Portland are hoping for a record season with a line up of top events and forecasts of a long hot summer.

The summer season kicks off this weekend with the Spirit of the Sea Maritime Festival today.

The nine-day festival features dozens of events including music, performance, arts and water sports.

Last year’s inaugural event attracted an estimated 35,000 extra visitors and boosted the local economy by more than £1.4 million.

The festival aims to celebrate the area’s rich maritime and cultural relationship with the sea.

Beach Live, which features free music over the entire nine days and kicks off today with song and dance for people of all ages from 2pm.

This will be based around a roadshow stage unit located at the Pavilion end of Weymouth Beach and include a Schools Battle of the Bands on Friday, July 10, with one band from each of the borough’s secondary schools performing in front of a panel of judges.

With more than 50 hours of live entertainment to a potential audience of over 10,000, Beach Live will run until Sunday, July 12.

Other highlights will include discounted taster sessions in sailing at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, scuba diving and snorkelling at the Riviera Hotel in Weymouth courtesy of C-Waves Diving, windsurfing run by Windtek Watersports in Wyke Regis and kayaking at Overcombe beach.

The Universal Big Gig regatta, hosted by Weymouth Rowing Club will also be returning for another year and the steam ship Shieldhall will also be in attendance.

The Henri Lloyd Weymouth Regatta is also backing the Spirit of the Sea regatta for the fourth year running from Thursday, July 9 until Sunday, July 12.

Meanwhile, the resort’s International Maritime Modelling Festival celebrates its 15th anniversary next weekend.

And all the top British volleyball sides are preparing annual Weymouth tournament.

It is expected that all the top British sides will compete, including players from the GB squads who are currently playing on the World Tour. We are also hope to attract a few quality teams from Europe or beyond.

RAF Careers are again sponsoring the event, which will be screened on Sky Sports.

For the first time a junior competition for Under 12, 14, 16, 18 will take place on four courts on Sunday and a corporate event will again be held on the Thursday evening.

Entry is through the Volleyball England website and costs £33 per team, if you book up to noon on Monday, 20 July 20 or £40 per team up to the Thursday before the event, at the tournament promoter's discretion.

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