Events & Festivals
2013
Visit a show or a rally this summer with our comprehensive diary of what’s on and where.
MAY 3rd-6th IWA Northampton Boat Gathering River Nene, Becket’s Park. BBQ, fish & chips, boat competitions, live music, real ale bar, boaters auction, IWA sales table, quizes and games, guided town walk and photographic competitions. www.waterways.org.uk
3rd-6th St Richards Festival Vines Park, Droitwich Spa. Extravanza of boats, vintage cars, stationary engines, craft and trade stalls, entertainment and a real ale bar in the marquee. The weekend will have a medieval theme. Worcester Birmingham & Droitwich CS, www.catshill.com/wbcs 4th-6th Norbury Canal Festival Norbury Junction. Children’s activities, WOW, boat trips, boat traders, Burton Borough Brass Band. Evening entertainment on Saturday and Sunday. On Sunday at 3.30pm a traditional canalside church service will take place. www.sncanal.org.uk
25th-26th BCN 24-Hour Challenge Ending at Longwood Boat Club, Rushall Canal. Boats may start at any point on the BCN but must finish at Longwood Boat Club, where the Daw End branch of the Wyrley & Essington Canal meets the Rushall Canal. Participants may navigate for as long as they like during the 30-hour period up to a maximum of 24 hours. The winner will be the boat crew who amass the greatest number of points during the challenge. Additional points will be awarded for navigating lesser-used waterways and there will be bonus points for correctly answered questions at certain places. www.bcnsociety.co.uk 25th-27th Crick Boat Show Crick Marina, GU Leicester Section. With a marina full of boats, features on waterways heritage and wildlife, boat trips, marquees full of interesting stands, craft and food sellers and loads for the children to do. Admission, adults £12, children (5-16) £7, concessions £7, family £32. Save up to 29% when tickets purchased in advance. Ticket hotline 01283 742972, www.crickboatshow.co.uk
JUNE 1st-2nd Etruria Canals Festival Etruria Junction, off Etruria Vale Road, Stoke-on-Trent. Celebrating the canals of Stoke-on-Trent. Historic boats and vehicles, demonstrations, local foods and crafts, an enjoyable day out for all the family. Boat parade along the Trent & Mersey Canal. Cruising boats welcome, with evening entertainment in the Boaters’ Marquee. Unique ceramic rally plaque. www.etruriacanalsfestival.org.uk 1st-2nd Audlem RNLI Festival Overwater Marina, Nantwich. Activities include stalls, demonstrations, raft race, dog/ pet show, boaters’ talks, evening entertainment including hog roast, bar, swing band and a brass band. All proceeds in aid of the RNLI. www.overwatermarina.co.uk 1st-2nd Leicester Riverside Festival Bede Park, Grand Union Leicester Section. Boat trips, live music, food stalls from around the world, activities for all ages. www.leicester.gov.uk/ riversidefestival
Beale Park is the place to be on the weekend of 7th-9th June. 18th-19th Moira Canal Festival Moira Furnace, Ashby Canal. WWII re-enactment, bike stunt team, swing band, Morris dancers, stalls, children’s entertainment, demonstrations, boats, live steam. www.moiracanalfestival.co.uk 24th-27th Erewash Canal Boat Gathering Langley Mill, Derbyshire. To celebrate 45 years of the association and the 40th anniversary of the reopening of the Great Northern Basin. ECP&DA, www.erewashcanalpreservationanddevelopmentassoc.org.uk.
36
7th-9th Beale Park Boat Show Lower Basildon, River Thames. A fabulous extravanganza of boats, stalls and entertainment within the wonderful setting of Beale Park. www.bealeparkboatshow.co.uk 7th-14th BCN Explorer Cruise A Starting at Merry Hill and finishing at Pelsall. Designed to explore the lesser known parts of the BCN. www.bcnsociety.co.uk 14th-16th Middlewich Folk & Boat Festival 15 venues host music and dance, ticketed concerts throughout the weekend, 100s of canal boats. www.midfest.org.uk 14th-16th BCNS Pelsall Canal Festival Pelsall Junction, Wyrley & Essington Canal. Attractions include “Dandy” performing on Saturday night and a Real Ale Bar all weekend. www.bcnsociety.co.uk 17th-24th BCN Explorer Cruise B Broad Street Basin, Wolverhampton, ending at Titford Pump House. The second of this years Explorer Cruises, starting at Wolverhampton, finishing at Titford Pump House. The route differs from the first cruise, but the aim is the same - to explore the lesser-known reaches of the BCN, and have a good time. Meet at around Broad Street basin (just beyond the top of the Wolverhampton 21), and explore the BCN in company. www.bcnsociety.co.uk 20th-23rd Lymm Festival Includes, on the 23rd, Lymm Historic Transport Day. Fun for all beside the Bridgewater Canal. www.lymmtransport.org.uk 21st-23rd Newbury Waterways Festival Victoria Park and The Wharf. Its theme will be “Midsummer Madness”. Boats will start gathering from Friday 21st June. Boat trips available all weekend. On Sunday there will be a 1000-strong plastic duck race along the river which will finish at 5pm. www.kennetandavontrust.co.uk/ events 28th-30th Thwaite Mills Boat Gathering Thwaite Mills Watermill, Thwaite Lane, Stourton, Leeds. Part of the Leeds Annual Waterfront Festival. Heritage and historic craft, children’s activities, stalls, boat trips. Boaters’ evening events. www.waterways.org.uk/westriding/west_riding_event_20130628
| IWA waterways - Summer 2013
Events.indd 36
23/4/13 10:31:02