Party on with return of the ‘Trad’ and festival double

THE Thames Traditional Boat Festival will return in August.

The annual exhibition of vintage boats is scheduled to take place at Fawley Meadows from Friday to Monday, August 27 to 30.

The festival was cancelled last year due to the pandemic.

Lady McAlpine, who is co-chairman of the “Trad”, said: “Finally, we can announce that the four-day festival will take place after missing last year for the first time in 41 years.

“The festival is usually held in July but we have had to move it to the August bank holiday weekend because we are dependent on the royal regatta for use of the meadows, which it owns.

“We have all fingers crossed that the weather will be kind and that no other events will be taking place in Henley that weekend to detract from our spectacular festival of family fun, food, drink, music, shopping and antiques — and boats.”

The festival will feature around 150 boats on display, including some of the most iconic steamers, as well as some of the Dunkirk Little Ships.

Lady McAlpine, of Fawley Hill, said: “This is the largest gathering of classic river craft in the world. We are expecting big crowds again.

“The festival has grown over the past four decades to attract people from all over the world.

“It will provide a quintessential English summer weekend by the river with bars and street food, including the Crooked Billet pop-up pub with great music to transform each evening into the best bank holiday party.”

Boats eligible to take part have to be of traditional wooden construction, built in hot or cold moulding techniques, or can be composite crafts with metal frames and timber planking, built of riveted iron or steel, and also those built of canvas on a wooden frame.

There is a special class for boats of special historic or constructional interest which are otherwise not eligible.

For more information visit www.tradboatfestival.com

Meanwhile, the venue for the Henley’s Festival’s Summer Fling has been confirmed.  

The one-off pop-up “party” will be staged at Butler’s Field in Remenham from Thursday to Saturday, July 8 to 10 and feature celebrity DJ sets.

Chief Executive Jo Bausor said: “We’re so excited about bringing the party back to Henley and hope you’ll all join us for this very special one-off event.”

The Henley Festival itself will take place from Wednesday to Sunday, September 15 to 19 with practically the same line-up that was due to appear last year until it was cancelled due to the pandemic.

The headliners are Madness, James Blunt, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Sara Cox with Kathy Sledge of Sister Sledge and Don’t Stop Me Now, a “rock and symphonic spectacular”.

Both the Summer Fling and festival are subject to a premises licence being granted by Wokingham Borough Council.