Bedford River Festival brings ‘huge positive impacts’

More than 300,000 people are expected to attend a popular two-day river festival that was threatened with cancellation.

The Bedford River Festival takes place on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st July.

Rachel Atkinson, who organised a vegan section at the festival called Green Earth Village, said the “incredible” event had “huge positive effects on local businesses”.

Bedford Borough Council, which organises the event, says it attracts “a lot of visitors” which is a “booster to the local economy”.

Mrs Atkinson said the free event, which is held every two years, is getting “bigger and better all the time”.

“It’s incredible, it’s forward thinking, it’s the second biggest free event in the UK after Notting Hill Carnival and it puts Bedford on the map.

“It brings people into the town and they can see a beautiful part of Bedford. It encourages people to visit the town again, which has a huge positive effect on local businesses.”

Canoe Trail’s Richard Harpham, who runs the water sports arena with his wife Ashley Kenlock, said he has been involved with the event, which started in 1978, “for as long as I can remember”.

“The jewel in the crown, the heartbeat of Bedford, is the River Great Ouse,” he said.

“We are incredibly proud of Bedford, proud of the river and proud that we can showcase something that is very historic and meaningful.”

Desiree Bas, an Italian-Iranian linguist, artist, author, illustrator and dancer, provides multilingual storytelling and dance sessions.

“What further sets us, the residents of Bedford, apart is the diversity of languages ​​available,” she said.

“During the river festival there are opportunities to utilize this diversity in a meaningful way through multicultural and multilingual activities, workshops and more.”

Last year, Bedford’s Conservative elected mayor, Tom Wootton, said the event, which takes place along the River Great Ouse in Bedford, would be replaced by an annual family festival, but that decision has been reversed.

According to the council, it generates more than £6 million for the local economy and has created a new family precinct in St Mary’s Garden by Bedford College.