Tenby’s famous Boxing Day Swim splashes out for the 53rd time this year with a special tribute to Wales.

The event is one of the country’s top festive highlights and this Christmas will be taking the plunge with the fancy dress theme of All Things Welsh.

So expect to see dragons, daffodils, leeks and rugby players on Tenby’s North Beach on Friday December 26th as the silly spectacle stampedes into action.

Last year’s swim welcomed a record-breaking number of barmy bathers, with more than 1,150 dippers cheered on by thousands of spectators.

And hopes are high that the 2025 event will prove even more popular, with the crowds being greeted by the swim’s mascot, Dylis the Dragon.

Boxing Day fun starts at 11am with the launch of the Tenby Lifeboat, followed by warm-up dancing to YMCA and a mass Tenby rendition of Delilah ahead of the dash for the big splash at 11.30am.

This year’s headline sponsors are Tenby Harbwr Brewery and Tap Rooms, known for their locally brewed ales and the home of the most photographed lane in Wales, Sergeants Lane. Harbwr Brewery have been brewing a special beer for the occasion, and its name will be announced soon.

Many of Tenby’s independent businesses have all also come on board with sponsoring the event and donating prizes.

Every year, the swim raises money for good causes and this year will be supporting the Tenby branch of the RNLI Branch of RNLI, Tenby Sea Cadets, Tenby’s Old Chapel Community Café and Sandy Bear Child Bereavement Charity.

This year, the Boxing Day Swim is holding its first prize draw. All people who enter through the online ‘ticketing’ will be in the draw and the lucky numbers (corresponding to the ticket number) will be announced at the swim.

There are lots of prizes to be won and the top three are a one night stay and dinner at The Imperial Hotel, a one night stay and dinner at The Town Crier and a meat voucher from Davies Butchers.

Anyone can enter the draw via: www.tenbyboxingdayswim.co.uk by giving a £10 pound donation, even if you do not intend to do the swim.

The event is organised by the Tenby Sea Swimming Association (TESSA), whose chair, Sam Skyrme-Blackhall, said: “We have been so lucky with the support already this year from everyone in the town.

“A huge thank you to all those businesses who have sponsored and donated prizes and to our headline sponsor, Harbwr Brewery,for all their help.

“We are also so grateful to Mark and Lowri of Lowri’s Shop, who once again are making our fabulous medals with a lovely new design.”

Paying tribute to the Osborne family who started the event all those years ago, Sam thanked the life president of TESSA, Chris Osborne, for his continued encouragement to the team of volunteers organising the swim and added: “This is a great family event and we hope to see everyone wearing their daffodils, rugby shirts and Welsh ladies outfits and maybe even a Tom Jones or two!”