River Festival 2026
Bedford River Festival
Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th July 2026
Your essential guide to Bedford River Festival 2026 is here! It’s a weekend full of fun for the whole family that extends all the way through the town centre, along the Embankment, Riverside and into Russell Park.
Attracting visitors from across the country, the River Festival offers an exciting programme of attractions both on and off the water. Festival highlights include the ever-popular Dragon Boat Races and Raft Races, as well as a thrilling Water Sports Arena, colourful boat parades, a funfair with rides, arts and cultural displays, live music, and a wide variety of entertainment throughout the weekend.
Bedford River Festival has taken place approximately every two years since 1978! It’s believed to be the second largest FREE festival to take place in the UK outside Notting Hill Carnival and attracts about 250,000 visitors over the weekend.
Fast-find Menu
You can use this ‘fast-find’ menu to jump to information that’s important to you:
- Getting to Bedford
- Planning your transport
- Accommodation
- Essential guide to town centre amenities
- River Festival Map
River Festival News and Information
See the latest news articles and information about this year’s River Festival:
- Get ready for this year’s River Festival
- Something to everyone’s taste at this year’s River Festival
- Sporting Fun at the River Festival
- Live music takes centre stage at this year’s River Festival
- Food waste collection points supporting traders at this year’s River Festival
- Recycle Learn and Win at this year’s River Festival
Live Music & Entertainment
Live music will be at the heart of this year’s Bedford River Festival, with an exciting programme of performances across multiple stages across the whole weekend. Festivalgoers can enjoy everything from rock, indie, jazz, funk, disco and Latin music to hip hop, R&B and country-pop, showcasing both established acts and emerging local talent.
Russell Park features the River Festival’s Main Stage which will bring you top performances from a wide range of bands and musicians throughout the weekend and then Mill Meadows will have the ever-popular Community Stages showcasing fantastic performances from the community of Bedfordshire.
Bands on the Bridge returns as one of the Bedford River Festival’s favourite attractions, with Town Bridge transformed into a unique open-air stage. The programme features performances from local favourites including Luton Concert Band, Mainline Big Band, Ukulele Bedford, Bedford Town Band, Bedford Town Concert Band, Sax’s Cool and The Also-Rans, offering everything from brass and concert band music to big band, saxophone and ukulele performances.
Also The Bedford Music Service Stage, located in Harpur Square, will showcase an exciting line-up of young local talent. Audiences can enjoy performances from singers, instrumentalists, beatboxers, rappers, DJs, and aspiring rock stars
Mill Meadows
Mill Meadows will once again be a vibrant festival hub, featuring community stages, a wide range of trade stalls and riverside viewing areas. The Arts and Culture Area, delivered by the Bedford Cultural Partnership, will showcase local creativity through free music, dance, storytelling, poetry, visual arts, crafts and family-friendly activities, alongside opportunities to meet local arts organisations and enjoy live performances.
Mill Meadows also hosts viewing areas for the river and a vast array of trade and promotional stalls, alongside some giant inflatables and water activities.
Sports Island
Sports Island returns with a packed programme of activities for all ages, giving visitors the chance to try a wide range of sports with local clubs and organisations. From canoeing, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding to climbing, rugby, gymnastics, squash, line dancing and cheerleading, there is something for everyone, alongside demonstrations from Bedford Bhangra, Bedford Kendo Club, Mike’s Line Dancing and Fight Klub.
Nearby, the Water Sports Arena will showcase spectacular canoe freestyle displays, zorbing, water obstacle races and an exciting Canoe Polo match.
Water Activities
From traditional boat parades and dragon boat and raft races to thrilling stunts in the Water Sports Arena, there’s plenty to keep the whole family entertained throughout the festival weekend.
St. Mary’s Gardens: Family Island
The Family Island in St. Mary’s Gardens, sponsored by Bedford College, will once again provide a relaxed, family-friendly space packed with free activities for children of all ages. From dance, storytelling, arts and crafts to science workshops and interactive entertainment, there’s plenty to enjoy, alongside the Little City Role Play Village.
The area will also include a dedicated SEND family zone with soft play, an accessible bouncy castle and information on local support, ensuring an inclusive and enjoyable experience for everyone.
Festival of Motoring
The Festival of Motoring returns after its successful debut in 2022, bringing an impressive display of classic, vintage and modern vehicles to Bedford High Street, St. Paul’s Square, Riverside Square and Harpur Square.
Visitors can admire the vehicles up close throughout the weekend or watch them depart in a special parade at 5pm on both days.
The Green Earth Vegan Lounge and Brand New Wellbeing Hub
The Green Earth Vegan Lounge returns to Castle Mound with a relaxed, family-friendly space offering vegan food, drinks and ethical products, including Nature’s Finest Juices and Wooden Hill Coffee Roasters.
Visitors can enjoy live music from Remedy Collective, nature-inspired children’s activities, traditional craft demonstrations, dedicated chill-out areas, and the brand-new Wellbeing Hub, featuring restorative sessions including Reiki, Qigong and sound baths.
Bedford River Festival Map
Your essential guide to town centre amenities
Parking in the town centre
Discover the car parks in the town centre. Parking is FREE for 4 hours on a Saturday in Allhallows and all town centre council owned car parks are FREE on Sundays.
Community Toilet Scheme
Bedford runs a community toilet scheme. Open the PDF link to see venues and businesses where you can use the toilet facilities.
Water Refill Scheme
Fill up your water bottle free of charge in Bedford town centre and stay hydrated at the Festival! Here’s a list of businesses taking part.
Late licence bars & pubs
We love to party! Here’s a few venues that are open late that you could visit after the concerts.
Taxis in Bedford
Licensed taxi offices are dotted around the town centre. Book ahead for mini buses and larger vehicles.
Food and Drink
Enjoy flavours from around the world! We’ve got restaurants, cafes and takeaways to suit all tastes.
Accommodation
Book your accommodation in Bedford town centre. Take a look at our accommodation to suit all budgets.
Health and Wellbeing
Need a pharmacy, dentist, doctor’s appointment, something to soothe tired feet? We’ve got you covered.
Visitor Information
Information about Bedford to enhance your visit. Including parking, public transport and things to do.
Convenience Stores & Newsagents
Pick up a newspaper, bottled water, soft drinks, snacks, picnic items and alcoholic beverages.
