Indian fare always a favourite at Royal St. John’s Regatta

Volunteers with the Hindu Temple in St. John’s have been organizing a take out food stand at the regatta for more than 50 years — first beginning in the 1980s.

Of the thousands of visitors who will trek to the Royal St. John’s Regatta Wednesday, many have a single main attraction on their mind: The long-running Hindu Temple food stand that’s become a staple of the event.

Volunteers with the Hindu Temple in St. John’s have been organizing a takeout food stand at the regatta since the 1980s.

The Indian fare attracts hundreds every year: So much so that even when the regatta, and the linked public holiday, is moved for poor weather, there’s still enough demand for the food, that the sale can continue regardless.

“There are people who are returning just for this, every year” said Mini Nair, in a quick interview with CTV News between plating up dishes inside the tent.

Nair estimated volunteers with the Hindu Temple will serve between 2,000 to 2,500 meals on Wednesday. They’re all vegetarian and classic Indian dishes: potato curry, chickpea curry, Naan bread, Samosas, and vegetable Biryani.

“We are really busy,” Nair said. “There’s not a single time when we are just sitting idle.”

Proceeds from the sale of the food support the operations of the Hindu Temple in St. John’s.

Though the Royal St. John’s Regatta is organized around rowing races, many of the spectators have food on their mind when they head down to Quidi Vidi lake.

“The Hindu Temple is my favourite,” said one mother while wrangling her son, Sandy, towards another game down by the lake. “There’s a lot of food trucks here, it’s just really fun.”

The unique public holiday can be delayed when weather conditions make rowing races unfavourable. On Wednesday, however, clear skies and a relatively light breeze meant the races were a “go,” and most workplaces throughout St. John’s were shut down.

That was good news for the thousands in the city who stayed up late at a concert in Churchill Square, featuring The Killers, or other events and bars across St. John’s.

The Royal St. John’s Regatta is more than 200 years old. Organizers say it’s one of the oldest continuously-running sporting events in North America. Aside from it’s weather dependence, it’s also one of the few competitive rowing events featuring the fixed-seat style of rowing.

For the dozens of community groups who set up tents to sell food or run games of skill or chance, it’s also a very important fundraising day.

Nair says the Hindu Temple has earned it’s reputation as a landmark of Regatta Day.

“I think it’s because we make fresh food and it’s yummy and we make it with love.”