Bedford River Festival

The Bedford River Festival is a free festival held biennially in Bedford, England on the banks of the River Great Ouse.

Bedford River Festival
Bedford Suspension Bridge - 2008 festival
FrequencyBiennial
Location(s)Bedford, England
Years active1978-present
FoundersBedford Borough Council
Most recent14 July 2018 (2018-07-14) – 15 July 2018 (2018-07-15)
Next event17 July 2021 (2021-07-17) – 18 July 2021 (2021-07-18) (postponed from 2020)
Attendance250,000
Websitehttps://riverfestival.bedford.gov.uk/

History

Bedford River Festival was founded in 1978 to celebrate the completion of a navigable route, by water, between Bedford and The Wash. [1] Originally it was held annually during the late May bank holiday but for many years has been biennial and held over either the second or third weekend in July.

The festival attracts an estimated 250,000 people over the weekend, and boat owners from across the country.[2] It is believed to be the second largest free outdoor event in the United Kingdom, after the Notting Hill Carnival.[3]

Music across the five stages includes local bands and artists, singing groups, with headliners including the Dub Pistols, [4] and DJs such as Fabio and Danny Rampling.[5]

Following redevelopment of part of the riverside, the 2018 festival expanded into neighbouring St Mary's Gardens,[6] site of a previous council-run free music festival named Lazy Sunday.[7]

This festival's on hiatus until 2021, after that another will be held in 2022, subject to cancellation caused by COVID-19 pandemic.

Current festival

The festival has grown significantly in recent years, with:

References

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