This weekend’s Dover Regatta promises to be the best yet.

Among the attractions on offer are air-sea rescue demonstrations, the ever-popular dragon boats, helicopter rides, yacht, dinghy and powerboat racing, parachute display and the colourful parade of sail.

Royal Marine Commandos will be on hand to give displays of unarmed combat, plus there will be plenty to browse on the stalls at the French and Latin markets.

Also included in the programme are children’s crafts, circus skills workshops, model boats in action and life-saving displays by newfoundland dogs.

On Saturday the festivities will conclude with a beach party, roadshow and fireworks, while on Sunday it will culminate in Songs of Praise.

It had been hoped the new Sea Sports Centre would be completed in time for the event, but it will not be finished for another couple of months.

Bill Fawcus, chairman of the Dover Sea Sports Development Trust, recalled how a handful of people, joined together to re-establish the regatta in 1998.

“We shared a vision that it should become an annual festival packed with fun and excitement,” he said.

“In the 10 years since that time, it has grown and grown due to the energy and enthusiasm of the core group of organisers who make up the regatta committee.”

The KM Group is the event’s media sponsor.

A special pullout guide, containing full listings and timings of all regatta events, appears with this week’s East Kent Mercury and Dover Mercury.