Town
What's on in Yarmouth
Yarmouth is the West Wight town that often feels like the island's front door and backwater at the same time. Ferries from Lymington arrive beside the harbour, yachts crowd the moorings, and the streets behind the quay still hold a compact, walkable town centre where a coffee, a pub lunch and a last-minute plan are never far apart. For anyone who has ever heard about a good market or harbour evening only after it finished, Yarmouth is exactly the kind of place worth checking before the weekend arrives.
The town works especially well as a base for linking small plans together. You can start with a ferry landing, browse the harbour, walk toward Fort Victoria Country Park, then come back for food at Off The Rails or The Terrace. Nearby Freshwater and Totland Bay make easy West Wight extensions when you want cliffs, beaches or sunset water.
Today
1 event
Earlier today
1 event
Tomorrow
1 event
Yarmouth Spring Market
An Island Artisans spring market at Yarmouth Town Hall, featuring local makers and artists across art, homewares, accessories and apothecary.
Sunday 24 May 2026
2 events
Yarmouth Spring Market
An Island Artisans spring market at Yarmouth Town Hall, featuring local makers and artists across art, homewares, accessories and apothecary.
Sunday Live: line-up TBC
Sunday afternoon live music at The Waterfront, Totland Bay — line-up to be confirmed on the venue poster. Source: venue poster / eatbythesea.com.
Monday 25 May 2026
1 event
Yarmouth Spring Market
An Island Artisans spring market at Yarmouth Town Hall, featuring local makers and artists across art, homewares, accessories and apothecary.
Sunday 31 May 2026
2 events
Isle of Wight Festival of Running - 31 May
The Isle of Wight Festival of Running begins from West Wight Sports and Community Centre with runs and activities across the west Wight landscape.
Sunday Live: Paolo
Sunday afternoon live music at The Waterfront, Totland Bay (Paolo on the poster). Music from 3pm; check venue for food service times. Source: venue poster / eatbythesea.com.
Monday 1 June 2026
1 event
Isle of Wight Festival of Running - 1 June
A day of Isle of Wight Festival of Running activity based around Freshwater and the west Wight's coastal and countryside routes.
Tuesday 2 June 2026
1 event
Isle of Wight Festival of Running - 2 June
The Isle of Wight Festival of Running continues with runs and running-related activities celebrating the island's west coast scenery.
Wednesday 3 June 2026
1 event
Isle of Wight Festival of Running - 3 June
A midweek day of Isle of Wight Festival of Running activity, welcoming runners of different abilities to west Wight routes.
Thursday 4 June 2026
1 event
Isle of Wight Festival of Running - 4 June
The Isle of Wight Festival of Running continues with social runs and activities for runners exploring Freshwater and west Wight.
Friday 5 June 2026
1 event
Isle of Wight Festival of Running - 5 June
The Isle of Wight Festival of Running heads into the weekend with active events and social runs around the west Wight.
Saturday 6 June 2026
1 event
Isle of Wight Festival of Running - Tapnell 10k
The Isle of Wight Festival of Running features the Tapnell 10k as part of its west Wight programme of running events.
Sunday 7 June 2026
2 events
Isle of Wight Festival of Running - Needles Half Marathon
The festival concludes with the Needles Half Marathon, following a scenic west Wight route from Colwell Bay to The Needles and Tennyson Down.
Sunday Live: The Geckos
Sunday afternoon live music at The Waterfront, Totland Bay (The Geckos on the poster). Music from 3pm; check venue for food service times. Source: venue poster / eatbythesea.com.
Sunday 14 June 2026
1 event
Sunday Live: Storm
Sunday afternoon live music at The Waterfront, Totland Bay (Storm on the poster). Music from 3pm; check venue for food service times. Source: venue poster / eatbythesea.com.
History
Yarmouth has been shaped by the Solent for more than a thousand years. Its early name is usually linked with the muddy estuary of the River Yar, and its position made it useful long before the town became a relaxed place for lunches and sailing. A charter in the 12th century helped establish Yarmouth as a borough, but its waterside setting also made it vulnerable. French raids damaged the town in the medieval period, and defence became part of its story rather than a footnote.
That explains the presence of Yarmouth Castle, built under Henry VIII as part of the Tudor response to coastal threat. The castle watched the Solent while the town continued to trade, fish, host ships and send people across the water. Later, Yarmouth became one of those tiny parliamentary boroughs whose political influence seemed wildly out of scale with its size. The Reform Act ended that old arrangement, but the town kept its sense of consequence.
The pier, quay, castle and harbour all make the history unusually visible. You do not have to hunt for it behind glass. It sits beside the ferry queue, behind pub doors, along the waterfront and in the rhythm of boats crossing between island and mainland.
Planning a visit
Modern Yarmouth is small enough to do slowly, which is part of its value. It suits families who want an easy wander, couples planning a low-pressure meal, sailors watching the weather and islanders who need a West Wight plan without driving everywhere. Events here often lean towards harbour life, food, craft, heritage, charity fundraisers and seasonal gatherings rather than big resort spectacle.
Use this page to spot what is happening before word of mouth catches up. If nothing is listed in Yarmouth on the day you are looking, check the nearby town links and points of interest. West Wight rewards joined-up planning: a morning by the harbour, an afternoon in Freshwater Bay, and an evening back near the quay can feel like a full island day without rushing.
Because Yarmouth is small, timing matters. A listing that looks simple can change the whole shape of a day if it lines up with a ferry, a walk or a table booking. Check here first, then use the internal links to keep the plan joined together.