Save Bedford River Festival

07/07/2024

07/07/2024

Not long to go!

Next weekend is going to be amazing!

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

25/08/2023

Definitely back on!

The Bedford River Festival will return on the 20th & 21st July 2024.

Sponsorship opportunities are available if you would like to align your business with the Festival's established brand values of community, inclusion, creativity, diversity and celebration.

For more information please contact the team at [email protected]

23/08/2023

BBC3CR right now, new developments!

23/08/2023

I wonder what else there is to it?

Please tell me they actually managed to get hold of the mayor this time? 😉🙄😂

22/08/2023

As stated in a previous post I wrote to the Mayor to seek a meeting, following the recent U turn on replacing our wonderful River Festival with a smaller annual family festival, to seek assurances that any changes to the festival will only follow proper public consultation.

I have now received the following particularly disappointing response from Mayor Tom Wootton's office:

"Thank you for your email to The Mayor. Bedford Borough Council is working hard and preparing for the 2024 event for the enjoyment of all attendees. Mayor Wootton has asked me to pass on that he appreciates your help and guidance and he will be in touch should he need your help."

The Mayor's office has completely ignored my request for a meeting about "the event" or to give it its proper name the River Festival... The lack of consultation with Councillors, myself or the public continues to be a theme of the current Mayor's administration and leaves me with real worry regarding future plans for the River Festival. We need a commitment from the Mayor that any changes will involve a public consultation.

My offer to meet with the Mayor remains open and I hope that Tom Wootton will take a more open approach going forward with elected representatives and with residents.

21/08/2023

Although Mayor Tom Wootton quickly u turned on his baffling decision to replace Bedford’s River Festival with a smaller annual family festival following uproar from residents and local businesses, by stating there will be a River Festival in 2024 as planned, I am left with grave concerns if this is an example of how the new Conservative administration makes decisions without consultation.

Even councillors didn’t know, let alone Bedford residents.

I have written asking to meet with him and Councillor Sarah Gallagher, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, to seek assurances that any changes to the festival will only follow proper consultation and indeed that future decisions of this significance will not be made in a similar fashion.

I am also keen to better understand what he means by stating that the River Festival is not ‘family focussed’.

I am concerned that this bizarre decision has been the new Mayor’s priority, as early on as he is in the role, and hope to meet with him at his earliest convenience to discuss this matter further.

Update: I have received correspondence from Cllr Gallagher to state that this issue would fall outside of her portfolio and it would be Deputy Mayor Jim Weir that would hold responsibility alongside the Mayor. Though of course I would hope that the whole executive would share my concern at recent developments.

20/08/2023

I met with Mayor Tom today to discuss the River Festival and how important it is to Bedfordians, after receiving a number of calls expressing both sides of the argument regarding the River Festival.

After a long discussion he has agreed that he will re-examine it and that the River Festival will go ahead Bedford Independent

20/08/2023

Thank goodness for that!🥰

Let's continue to make the festival a really good one and ensure the future is secure for the event. Many more years to come hopefully 🙏

Thanks so much to everyone who has shown their support by following this page, and also for signing the petition. People of Bedford have spoken and have been heard!

https://www.bedfordindependent.co.uk/breaking-news-controversial-river-festival-changes-to-be-scrapped/?fbclid=IwAR0GFEh26QdG3XLrXvSZTAJt14RRf8tGcwNAgPsCEqSxIxOHOBCOPMB_pmI

Mayor Tom Wotton has said proposed river festival changes revealed in the Bedford Independent on Friday (18 August), which...

19/08/2023

A great video I found on Youtube, capturing the atmosphere of the festival back in 2022 😀

We can't let them take away this event, it is so popular!

The Bedford River Festival is a free festival held biennially in Bedford, England on the banks of the River Great Ouse. The event includes dragon boat and ra...

19/08/2023

An official statement from Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats and previous mayor, Dave Hodgson has been made 👇