Last weekend saw Old Leigh Regatta return to the historic fishing quarter of Leigh-on-Sea, filling the High Street, wharves and waterfront with two days of racing, competitions, live music, stalls, food and entertainment. As one of the event’s sponsors, Solopress worked with Marcus Dean and his team to provide a huge range of print, merchandise and display materials. We caught up with Marcus on the morning of the regatta’s second day to check in on how the event was progressing, and to learn a bit more about how the regatta comes together year after year.
A local fixture
The event has deep roots in the town. The Regatta was revived by 3rd Chalkwell Bay Sea Scouts in 1951 after a 25-year absence, having last been held in 1926. The reason was practical. The Scouts needed to replace the roof of their headquarters, so they joined forces with local fishermen to organise a new Regatta and raise the money. It worked, and an enduring local tradition was brought back to life.
Today, the Regatta remains an important fundraiser for local Scouting, but it has grown into something much larger. For one weekend each September, the Old Town becomes the setting for a community festival that brings together its maritime heritage, local organisations, traders, performers and visitors from across the area.
The person at the helm
Old Leigh Regatta organiser Marcus Dean has strong ties to both the town and the water. Away from the Regatta, his day job is selling yachts, while his involvement in local charity and community projects goes back many years.
That work also predates his involvement with the Regatta and his relationship with Solopress.
“Personally, I’ve used Solopress since I went into business, ten years ago. And very involved around town, lots of different charity work, community stuff, so we’ve all worked with Solopress.”
Solopress has supplied the current Regatta team for the past three years, during a period in which the event has grown considerably in scale.
On the water front
For all the activity on shore, the Regatta still earns its name on the water. Leigh-on-Sea Sailing Club scheduled four Regatta dinghy races across the weekend, two races on Saturday and another two on Sunday. Sailing has been organised from the Leigh foreshore by the club since 1911, making the races part of a longstanding local tradition.
The programme of events extended beyond sailing too. Saturday also featured a Scout rowing race, Topaz paddle relay, swimming relay and canoeing relay, putting different aspects of the Sea Scouts’ water skills into competition. At Victoria Wharf, the traditional bowsprit pillow fight challenged competitors to stay perched above the water while attempting to knock their opponent off balance.
Old Town Takeover
Back on dry land, the modern Old Leigh Regatta has expanded far beyond its original scale. This year, more than 100 traders attended, up from around 80 in 2025. Community groups, independent businesses and food vendors lined the Old Town, while traditional Regatta contests included welly hoying, tug of war, football on the mud, yoke carrying and a sedan chair race. Games run by the Sea Scouts ranged from Hook-a-Duck to Bat-the-Rat, alongside tea tents, merchandise and other fundraising activities.
Live entertainment has become another major part of the weekend. This year, music ran across two stages, with the Main Sail Stage at Victoria Wharf and the SoSlam Midships Stage at Strand Wharf hosting performers throughout the event.
The result is an event that now takes over the Old Town rather than simply taking place within it. Boats and competitions on the water remain central to its identity, while the streets and wharves around them have developed into a busy festival of music, food, trading, games and community activity.
On Sunday morning, shortly before the day’s programme began, we sat down with organiser Marcus Dean to talk about how the Regatta has developed, Solopress’ relationship with the event and what comes next.
The fine print
For Marcus, some of the most important developments are not necessarily the ones visitors notice first.
“Personally, I’m very excited about lots of silly little things. And to the wider eye, they probably won’t be noticed. But to the general operation, they’re huge.”
One example this year was the new green room for performers.
As live music has become a larger part of the Regatta, the event has begun attracting acts from further afield while continuing to provide a stage for emerging local performers. The green room gives artists somewhere to prepare, relax and enjoy the occasion before performing.
“What’s wonderful with the new local talent is that the Regatta stage is a big thing for them. It’s an impressive moment in their amateur performing career, or professional performing career. So to be able to give them a green room where they can come and chill out, have a drink and feel like a rock star before they go on stage is amazing.”
Solopress supplied branded Deck Chairs and signage for the space. Marcus summed up the difference:
“Without Solopress doing that, it would just be a tent.”
Point of Sails
The green room is just one example of the printed material Solopress supplies for the event. Across Old Leigh this year, that included programmes, Bannières, Bannières à rouleau, T-shirts et Chaises longues. The products serve several different purposes, from helping visitors navigate and follow the programme to identifying volunteers, promoting sponsors and providing merchandise for visitors to buy.
Marcus has found the breadth of the range particularly useful as the event has expanded.
“What’s so amazing about Solopress, there is nothing that you don’t do. So we have well and truly gone all out.”
The clothing illustrates how one product can perform two different roles. Some garments are worn by the team working at the event, helping visitors identify volunteers, while others are sold as Old Leigh Regatta merchandise.
More about all of the signage, flags, deck chairs banners programmes etc etc.
Flying the flag
The visual identity visitors see across the site was created by the Regatta team itself.
Marcus credits Richard Smith and Max Patey with developing the branding, supported by graphic designer and creative Scott Pryor. Richard now applies the identity across the many different materials needed for the event.
There is a maritime reference built directly into the design. The nautical signal flags used throughout the branding represent the initials OLR, linking its contemporary appearance back to the Regatta’s origins on the water.
This year, new stage banners gave the identity and sponsors greater presence around the performance areas. For Marcus, seeing those details finally in place was a particularly satisfying moment.
“Top of the stage and left and right, we’ve got our Regatta branding and we’ve got our sponsors on there as well. That is just a dream come true for me. I know that’s a silly dream, but it looks amazing.”
Making Waves
Some signs of progress can be measured more directly. The 2026 Regatta hosted more than 100 traders, compared with around 80 the previous year. The Silent Disco also recorded its highest ticket sales so far, with fireworks bringing the event to a close. It reflects a broader pattern Marcus has seen during his time organising the Regatta: “It’s all good. It’s all upwards and upwards.”
Behind that growth is a volunteer team working on the event throughout the year. Once one Regatta finishes, planning for the next begins almost immediately: “My other half said he’s looking forward to it being over, but it’s never over.” Marcus told us, “The Old Leigh Regatta is never over. Because we’re volunteers and we do it in our spare time, it’s literally a year-long effort.”
Next on the horizon
For visitors, the final event of Sunday marks the end of the Regatta for another year, but for the volunteers, it’s nothing of the sort.
The team will meet almost immediately to review this year’s event before turning its attention to 2027. That year-round commitment has become evermore all-consuming along with the Regatta itself. According to Marcus, the budget has tripled in the three years he has been in charge, reflecting the scale of the event’s growth.
The team is already considering what could be added next. Branded water bottles, headwear et reusable plastic cups are among the possibilities. Marcus was particularly interested to hear that Solopress can supply reusable cups as part of a return-for-recycling scheme. With more products, traders, performers and activities to organise, forward planning becomes increasingly important. And according to Marcus, there are already bigger ideas under discussion: “We’ve got some very exciting plans, that we can’t wait to unveil!”
Already underway
Old Leigh Regatta has changed considerably since local Sea Scouts and fishermen revived it in 1951 to raise money for a new roof.
What has remained is its character as a community event rooted in Leigh’s relationship with the water. Sailing, rowing and traditional competitions now sit alongside live music, traders, food and entertainment, bringing more people into the Old Town while keeping that maritime heritage at the centre of the weekend.
Its continued growth is a considerable achievement for Marcus and the volunteer team behind it. We look forward to seeing what they have planned for 2027.
For anyone organising an event of their own, the same principles apply at any scale. Signes et Bannières can help visitors find their way, programmes can keep them informed, branded clothing can identify your team and merchandise can give them something to take home.
From community fundraisers to large public events, Solopress can supply the print and promotional products that help bring everything together.
French