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 & raft races, or the daring stunts in the Water Sports arena, there is plenty to keep the family entertained right across the festival weekend. Kindly sponsored by Baker Brothers, these activities take place along the entire length of the Festival site, from St Mary’s Gardens to the Sports Island, so there will always be something to see on the water wherever you are.

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.

Beds Fire Service will be providing some water rescue demonstrations near town bridge, and make sure to keep an eye out for the always amazing Jet Boots Bob.

Working with Sue Ryder, the dragon boat races take place on Saturday 20th July and the raft races, organised by the Rotary Club of Bedford Park, take place on Sunday 21st 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 and various activities in the Water Sports arena!

The Water Sports arena is right next to the Sports Island, 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.