River Activities
The soul of the River Festival is the huge range of entertainment and activities taking place that truly bring the River Great Ouse to life, and commemorate the opening of the river from Bedford to the Wash in Norfolk in 1978. Whether you want to see the traditional boat parades, the dragon boat races, or the daring stunts in the Water Sports arena, there is plenty to keep the family entertained right across the festival weekend. These activities take place along the entire length of the Festival site, from St Mary’s Gardens to the Sports Village, so there will always be something to see on the water wherever you are. This year’s river activities are kindly sponsored by Henderson & Taylor.
The cruiser and narrowboat enthusiasts who attend provide the centrepiece to the weekend’s celebrations, with many taking part in the Grand Parade of Cabin Cruisers and Grand Parade of Narrowboats which take place on both Saturday and Sunday. The Saturday night finale will be the fantastic illuminated boat parade.
The dragon boat races take place on Saturday 23rd July and the raft races, organised by the Rotary Club of Bedford Park, take place on Sunday 24th July. This year the raft crews will be raising money to support local charities and projects in Bedford – be sure to cheer them on as they compete!
Don’t forget you can get involved in the raft races, dragon boat races, open water swim and various activities in the Water Sports arena!
The Water Sports arena, sponsored by HSBC UK, is also right next to the Sports Village, where you can see daring canoe ramp demonstrations and take part in fun water-based activities such as zorbing, canoe polo, SUP obstacle course, GB Rafting and cardboard box racing. The Newfoundland Dog rescue displays will also take place in this zone – don’t miss these gentle giants demonstrating their swimming and rescue talent.
Whether you are a spectator, sailor, captain or participant, there are so many ways to enjoy this year’s river activities. Take a look at the programme to make sure that you don’t miss your favourites.
Schedule of Events
Schedule of Events
Schedule of Events
Schedule of Events
Gallagher Developments is a strategic land promoter with experience dating back over 50 years and, as a master developer, has delivered thousands of homes, employment land, schools, and community facilities across Bedfordshire. Gallagher Developments continue to work to deliver sustainable communities across Bedford Borough in order to provide much needed homes and wider communities.
Sir Tony Gallagher, Chairman of Gallagher Developments said, “We are delighted to again sponsor and support the Bedford River Festival which we know brings joy to thousands of people. We hope everyone has a great time”.
