We’re busy booking lots of attractions for our visitors.
The Festival will be opened by Mark Horton, professor of archaeology at Bristol University and presenter of the BBC’s “Coast” series (and other TV series). Mark lives and keeps a historic boat locally.
We’re expecting a RAF Spitfire from the BBMF to fly over the Festival on Saturday 2 June at 12:05 (just after the Festival opens – we’ll try to get the gates open on time!)
It will be a family festival, so there will be lots to keep the kids entertained (see the separate Kids’ Page)
There will be boat trips from below the Dudbridge locks down the canal towards Ryeford, with several boats operating (including the Trust’s boat Perseverance, usually working from Saul Junction).
There will be a music stage with entertainment from midday into the evening. We’re booking dancers of all sorts for our dance stage.
We’re planning an acoustic stage with “open microphone” sessions for anyone to come and show their skills. That stage will also feature “Words on Water” with poetry sessions and comedy.
The music and dance programme is being assembled on our Music page.
Spaniel in the Works Theatre Company will be performing Dark Tales of Gloucestershire as well as other entertainments in our auditorium.
R&B Canal Art (who have a shop in “Upstairs Downstairs” next to Gloucester Docks) will be running introduction courses to painting “Roses & Castles”. They’re taking bookings via this downloadable form.
We’re taking bookings from traders and caterers and will have a bar selling local ales.
There will be lots of interesting boats to look at, including boats from the Steamboat Association. There will be demonstrations of boat handling and an illuminated evening display. A few boats will be moored on the festival site, with more below Dudbridge Locks by the Cope Chat playing field. The will be boat handling competitions taking place around Ebley Mill.
This steam roller will be near the entrance to greet visitors, and she might bring some of her steamy friends.
SARA (the Severn Area Rescue Association) will have one of their lifeboats at the Festival.
We’ve got the Austin Seven and Austin Healey clubs bringing some vintage cars.
Canoeing demonstrations / come & try it / dry simulators thanks to Stroud Valleys Canoe Club and Canoe England.
A timetable of events will be loaded to this site nearer the time.
