The Hangon Regatta has been a traditional fixture on the Finnish social scene, and is the major summer event in Hanko. Sailing enthusiasts attend in order to compete, as well as mostly young people who have little or no interest in sailing; they attend only in order to party and drink. The latter constitute the "Regatta tail", not appreciated by most of the town's residents, since it causes huge expenses for clean-up of the parks and streets of all the litter left by those partying.
Other traditional summer activities are the "Tennis Week", the "Sea Horse" riding competitions, the "Summer Theatre" and Hanko Music Festival events.
Several sandy beaches and a multitude of leisure harbors attract tourists during the summer months.
HIK is a sports club from Hanko, Finland. The club was founded in 1903. It's best known for its football team which has played one season in the Finnish premier division Mestaruussarja, in 1962, and a number of seasons in the second tier Ykkönen. Their home ground is located at the Rukki Arena. The club also has activities in handball, athletics, table tennis and power lifting
