Bedford Events

06/07/2024

Families across the Borough will have an unforgettable start to their summer holidays as our iconic River Festival returns. Over Saturday...

06/07/2024

In just 2 weeks we will be at Bedford River Festival as part of the Green Earth Village 💚

Come and see us on the 20th and 21st July, we'll be in the Eco Forest area of the Green Earth Village located around Bedford's Castle Mound

Come and find out more about who we are and what we do! 🌳

05/07/2024

A new venture for us - come and drop in to our feeding and changing tent for a quiet break from the crowd!
St Mary's Garden (the Family Island)

Think the River Festival's going to be a challenge with a buggy? Visit our Sling Hire (Thursday mornings, St John's Church Hall alongside Bumps and Babes) and hire something to keep you hands free and happy!

👣 👣 👣

Don't forget to support us at the Dragon Boat racing! (That's got to be worth coming to watch!)

🐉🐲🐉🐲

05/07/2024

There’s a packed schedule this summer in Bedford, from Bedfringe to the River Festival, the Italian festival to Eid celebrations...

03/07/2024

The Bedford River Festival is back on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 July, and this year, St. Mary's Gardens is hosting the all-new Family Island, bursting with free activities designed to keep little ones entertained for hours.

For the first time ever, St. Mary's Gardens will be transformed into the Family Island, a haven of free, fun-filled workshops for all ages. From toddlers to teenagers, there's something for everyone:
Dance workshops: Get your groove on with energetic dance sessions.

Storytelling and sensory activities: Spark imaginations and ignite curiosity.
Arts and crafts: Unleash creativity with exciting crafting opportunities.
Little Science Lab: Explore the wonders of science with hands-on experiments.

A fantastic line-up of children's entertainers and practitioners will keep the laughter flowing all weekend long. Workshops are free, but some may have limited spaces, so arrive early to secure your spot.

Even if you miss a workshop, St. Mary's Gardens offers lots of free entertainment this year. There will be clay-making sessions for children, to get crafty and mould their own masterpieces throughout the festival. A petting farm will allow children to get up close and cuddly with adorable animals.
The Inclusive Island, a dedicated section within the Family Island, offers a calm and sensory-friendly environment, fantastic for families with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Features include:
Shaded area with sensory equipment.
Dedicated bouncy castle for children and young people with SEND.
Staffed by experts who can answer questions and share information about SEND resources.
Mobile Changing Places toilet nearby.
Proximity to disabled parking and family-friendly stalls.

"We're incredibly excited to unveil the all-new Family Island at St. Mary's Gardens for the 2024 Bedford River Festival," says Bjorn Hove, our Lead Events and Infrastructure Officer. "This dedicated space offers a fantastic range of free activities designed to keep children of all ages entertained throughout the weekend. From dance workshops and storytelling sessions to arts and crafts and interactive science shows, there's something to spark every child's imagination and creativity.
“We believe this addition will make the festival even more enjoyable for families, and we can't wait to see the smiles on their faces!"
There’s lots more for families to enjoy:
Just over the bridge, Riverside Square and Bedford High Street will showcase a unique display of vehicles presented by the Festival of Motoring.
There are many activities planned on the river that families can watch, don’t miss the Dragonboat and raft races and the illuminated boat display. The Water Sports Arena, near the Butterfly Bridge, has all sorts of water-based activities.
Just along from the Water Sports Arena, towards Aspect from the school’s boathouses, families can explore the Sports Island and potentially find a local sports club or organisation to join.
Russell Park hosts the Main Stage, funfair, free play area and picnic site, and the new crazy golf course.
In Mill Meadows you’ll find the Community Stage and the new Arts & Culture area, both showcasing some amazing local talent with plenty of free entertainment and things to see.
Families will enjoy the Bands on the Bridge with concert and brass bands performing on Bedford Town Bridge.
New for this year is the Green Earth Village on Castle Mound. The Green Earth Kids area will offer an Eco Forest as well as talks and workshops for children. It’s a great place to enjoy a picnic and there’ll also be an eclectic mix of wellbeing, nature, performance, vegan products, food & arts.
Browse the market alongside The Embankment too!
Explore the full River Festival 2024 programmehttps://riverfestival.bedford.gov.uk/Docs-and-files/RF2024-Programme.pdf

03/07/2024

Hop on the train into Bedford for Bedford River Festival on Saturday 20th & Sunday 21st July!

Fantastic free fun for the family including live music, boat parades, funfair, arts & culture, craft market, raft & dragon boat races, water sports, sports village, green earth village, festival of motoring, and much more!

The Festival site is just a short walk from Bedford St Johns Station.
A normal Saturday timetable will be running plus a Special Sunday Service.

Return tickets from any Marston Vale Line station are just £2, Railcard & Bedfordshire Bus Pass discounts (half price travel after 10:00 on weekdays and all day on Saturday & Bank Holidays) apply.

Check out https://www.marstonvalecommunityrail.org.uk/special-services-for-bedford-river-festival-2024

The Special Sunday Service is also a great way of exploring our lovely Line and visiting the attractions along it including our very own Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre!

Come and see us on the Arts & Cultural Island (in conjunction with Heritage Bedford where children can design shields with The Higgins Bedford and try the new Bedfordshire Archives Bedford Castle Game!



Bedford Events
Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity
Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre and Tea Room
London Northwestern Railway East Midlands Railway
Thameslink
Bedford to Bletchley Rail Users' Association
Greensand Country Love Bedford
Bedfordshire Museums Experience Bedfordshire
My Milton Keynes Destination Milton Keyness
Raring2go Bedford Primary Times Bedfordshire & Luton
Forest of Marston Vale Bletchley Park
The Station Tavern The Red Lion, Fenny Stratford Lock
The Green Man, Lidlington
National Animal Welfare Trust (NAWT)
John Bunyan Boat Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterway Trust
Bedford Borough Council Central Bedfordshire Council
Milton Keynes City Council Community Rail Network
Riverside Bedford
John Bunyan Museum
Milton Keynes Kids
Beds & Herts Community Rail Partnership

02/07/2024

Bedford River Festival Canoe Trail SUP Fun Race and Pro Race is taking place on 20th July 2024. To enter, visit: https://www.canoetrail.co.uk/activities/events/bedford-river-festival-2024-sup-fun-and-pro-races

SUP Fun (1 x 2km lap) and Pro Races 3 x 2km laps

The races both start at 5.30pm from the Butterfly Bridge

After the race you can join Canoe Trail in the Watersports Arena by the Butterfly Bridge for the ‘big float’ with fun and games, a record attempt for the SUP snake, SUP Jenga games and SUP freestyle skills with spot prizes and music to create a relaxed paddling vibe.
The Race entry fee is £10 and includes safety cover and prizes. SUP hire available first come first served.

For the full event programme, visit https://riverfestival.bedford.gov.uk/

29/06/2024

Perfect evening in Bedford Park for the Bedford Summer Sessions.

Avril Lavigne kicks off two weekends of fantastic artists.

27/06/2024

New to the Bedford River Festival 2024 will be The Back British Farming NFU area.

Set up by the National Farmers’ Union, gives you an insight into food and farming in the local area. Located on the top end of Russell Park next to Craft and Gift Marquee the area will feature tractors, crops and other farm resources. It is an opportunity to talk to farmers, Young Farmers, Beds Police Rural Crime team and Shuttleworth College.

For more information on the Bedford River Festival and to download the full programme please go to the website https://riverfestival.bedford.gov.uk/

21/06/2024

The Bedford River Festival 2024 Programme is now available to download!

Find out about all the acts, areas & activities that you can see on the 20th & 21st July in Bedford.

The Bedford River Festival is a free-to-attend community event, with a great deal of free, family-friendly entertainment across the site.

Please click this link or visit the website for more information and FAQs.
https://riverfestival.bedford.gov.uk/Docs-and-files/RF2024-Programme.pdf

Bedford Borough Council's Events & Community Engagement team

21/06/2024

These are just some of the many wonderful entries we've received for our community art project that will be displayed at this year's River Festival.

Some people have suggested that they needed a little longer, so we've extended the deadline for entries to 11.59pm, Monday 24 June. This also means you've the whole weekend to create a 2D piece of art that shows your favourite place in Bedford, or somewhere else in Bedford Borough..

The theme is 'Favourite places in Bedford', please remember that you can submit something you've created in the past, it doesn't have to be something new.

All ages and abilities are welcome to submit their artwork and have the opportunity for it to be displayed in a dedicated community gallery at the River Festival on 20 and 21 July.

We want to celebrate the beauty and vibrancy of Bedford and Bedford Borough through its residents' eyes. From historical landmarks to hidden gems, parks to shops, capture your favourite Bedford spot in a 2D piece of artwork.

Once complete send it to us, we'll add the details of how to do this in the comments below.

All chosen entries will be proudly displayed at the Bedford River Festival over the weekend, giving you the chance to share your artistic vision with over 250,000 visitors!

15/06/2024

It would not be a River Festival without all the wonderful activities happening on the River.

Along with the parades of Narrow Boats and Cabin Cruisers, there will be the return of the crowd pleasing Jet Boots Bob and some SUP races.

On Saturday 20th July will be the riveting Dragon Boat races in partnership with Sue Ryder, and on Sunday 21st July working with the Rotary club of Bedford Park there will be the always entertaining Raft Races. Both are still accepting entries if you would like to take part.

The Saturday night finale will be the Illuminated Boat Parade

The River Entertainment is sponsored by Baker Brothers

14/06/2024

35 days to go...

The Bedford River Festival 2024 will be on the 20th and 21st July.

For more information please visit https://riverfestival.bedford.gov.uk/

10/06/2024

Do you feel like taking up a new hobby or active activity, or maybe revisit one from your past?

The Sports Island at the Bedford River Festival 2024 is all about actively encouraging people to have fun and get involved in a wide range of local physical activity. Situated on Longholme island there will be a range of demonstrations, displays, activities and come and try it sessions.

There will also be plenty of entertainment in Water Sports Arena.

06/06/2024

The Festival of Motoring will be returning at the Bedford River Festival 2024

Over the weekend there will be 200 cherished vehicles on display on the High Street, Harpur Square, Riverside Square and St Pauls Square.

The high street is kindly sponsored by Bedford BiD Love Bedford

30/05/2024

The Bedford River Festival takes place on the weekend of 20 and 21 July and entries to the raft race are now open.

Do you have what it takes to bring together a team that can build and race a raft, while also raising as much money as possible for a good cause…..

All the details are in the comments.

30/05/2024

Community stage line up for the Bedford River Festival 2024

The community stage showcases local talent including music, dance, threate and comedy.

More information on the acts will be on the programme which will be available soon.

Many thanks to our sponsors of the community stage The Harpur Trust

22/05/2024

Can't wait to see this 🌳🌳🌳

We now have a layout plan for the Eco Forest at Bedford River Festival 20th/21st July! In a fantastic location in the historical heart of Bedford at the entrance to the Green Earth Village , this area will be a thought-provoking and beautiful addition to the festival. Its message is about the importance of trees past and present and about environmental proaction. We are delighted to welcome the Forest of Marston Vale and permaculture garden designers Millie and Cheryl at centre stage. Plus we will have wood working and traditional skills on display. In the Eco Tent you can catch a talk about repairing clothes, permaculture gardening and more. Booking details for the Eco Tent will be published soon. We're really excited about this area and hope you will come and support us there 💚

Key:

1. Castle Mound
2. Performance art area
3. Taxus (Yew)
4. Permaculture Tent
5. Permaculture Garden
6. Eco Tent
7 Betula (Birch) sentinels
8. Forest of Marston Vale
9. Forest of Marston Vale chill out zone
10. Celtic sacred grove:
Betula (birch), Alnus (alder), Malus (crabapple),
Ilex (holly), Quercus (oak), Sorbus (rowan),
Fagus (beech), Corylus (Hazel)
11. Woodworking and traditional skills

Bedford Events

22/05/2024

The Bedford River Festival
Community Art Project
WE NEED YOU!
The Events Team at Bedford Borough Council are inviting residents to enter designs into our NEW River Festival Community Gallery. All approved entries will be printed and displayed in a designated community gallery on this year’s Bedford River Festival site on the 20th & 21st July. Imagine your artwork on display at one of the UK’s biggest festivals, which welcomes in excess of 250,000 visitors. What an opportunity!

What’s the theme?
Quite simply, we would like artwork to illustrate your ‘Favourite places in Bedford’. We live in a thriving community, with some awesome entertainment, culture and beauty on our doorstep, and this is the perfect opportunity to showcase our pride in our Town. Entries accepted from all age groups and all abilities!

What to do next?
- Create your 2D piece of artwork following the brief of your ‘Favourite Places in Bedford’.
- Send all of the entries (scanned entries accepted if you wish to keep your artwork as entries will not be returned) to Bedford Borough Council, Events Team, Room 401, Borough Hall, Cauldwell Street, Bedford, MK42 9AP or [email protected]
- All acceptable entries will be displayed over the festival weekend!

PUBLIC DEADLINE: 17th June 2024

The Events Team look forward to receiving your entries.

17/05/2024

What a line up of some incredible tribute bands for this months Bedford Fake Festival on 25th May!!! Tickets on sale now. For tickets or more info, visit: https://buff.ly/3wF1Tvp

15/05/2024

All welcome to pop along this weekend to the Community Herb Garden on Rothsay/Castle Road Roundabout. Plants and cakes will be on sale and there will be opportunities to find out how to get involved as a volunteer in the roundabout project! 🌻

11/05/2024

Good luck to everyone taking part in the regatta today on the Embankment. It's a beautiful day so why not come down and support the local rowers, races take place all day.

08/05/2024

Stanley Thurston & Sons Family Fun Fair are returning to Addison Park this week! With a fantastic variety of rides and amusements, there promises to be bags of entertainment on offer. 🎠 🎢 🤩

06/05/2024

The next stop on the Gumbles children’s fun fair roadshow awaits this weekend.... 3 hours of cram packed entertainment at Mowsbury Park for £10.99 per child! 🎠 🤩

01/05/2024

Pleased to announce the main stage acts for the Bedford River Festival 2024 .

We are so excited to have such an eclectic array of talent coming to entertain us in Russell Park.

Many thanks to our friends at The Pad Presents for putting together this amazing line up, and our sponsors for the main stage Harpur Shopping Centre

More information on the acts will be available soon on the website https://riverfestival.bedford.gov.uk/

01/05/2024

To play in our wondeful home town, to our favourite people on the main stage at The River Festival!.. Who'd have thought.. Wild!
Thank you The Pad Presents Bedford Esquires Gareth and Kev xx
We're delighted 💚💚💚💚

https://facebook.com/events/s/bedford-river-festival-2024-ma/25376164105362438/