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*** Sadly, this event has had to be cancelled, as Hertfordshire County Council has issued a closure order for a large section of the towpath on the River Lee through Ware, including the entire site on which the Festival was to be held, on the grounds that the state of the towpath is now so dangerous as to constitute a danger to the public. ***

Join us at the beautiful and historic market town of Ware on the upper reaches of the River Lee as they wend their way through the middle of the town, overlooked by the unique and iconic Victorian gazebos.  You’ll find activities provided as part of the boat festival (Friday evening river-side barbeque / Saturday afternoon themed boat parade and boat handling competition / Saturday evening “Haslam’s hijinks” quiz / Sunday river-side boaters’ service and “coffee and cakes”) but plenty else to see and do as the boat festival runs alongside the wider Ware Festival activities.  The river has played a key part in the development of the town, in particular providing a means of transport for agricultural products – especially malted grains from the 140 malthouses of the 19th century – into the heart of London, but before then represented a boundary between the Danelaw and Anglo Saxon lands and – further back still – provided a crossing point of the River Lea for the Roman Ermine Street.

Booking is now open.  You can either apply by downloading an application form or online.  The online booking form is set up by the event organisers on a private website that is outside IWA’s control.  IWA’s privacy statement and terms do not apply to this online form, and users enter any data at their own risk.

Please join us for the festival – wherever you have come from, you will be warmly welcomed.

 

 

Cancelled
Event Dates

Friday 5th to Sunday 7th July

Location

Ware

Boating

Ware Boat Festival 2024

*** Sadly, this event has had to be cancelled, as Hertfordshire County Council has issued a closure order for a large section of the towpath on the River Lee through Ware, including the entire site on which the Festival was to be held, on the grounds that the state of the towpath is now so dangerous as to constitute a danger to the public. ***

Join us at the beautiful and historic market town of Ware on the upper reaches of the River Lee as they wend their way through the middle of the town, overlooked by the unique and iconic Victorian gazebos.  You’ll find activities provided as part of the boat festival (Friday evening river-side barbeque / Saturday afternoon themed boat parade and boat handling competition / Saturday evening “Haslam’s hijinks” quiz / Sunday river-side boaters’ service and “coffee and cakes”) but plenty else to see and do as the boat festival runs alongside the wider Ware Festival activities.  The river has played a key part in the development of the town, in particular providing a means of transport for agricultural products – especially malted grains from the 140 malthouses of the 19th century – into the heart of London, but before then represented a boundary between the Danelaw and Anglo Saxon lands and – further back still – provided a crossing point of the River Lea for the Roman Ermine Street.

Booking is now open.  You can either apply by downloading an application form or online.  The online booking form is set up by the event organisers on a private website that is outside IWA’s control.  IWA’s privacy statement and terms do not apply to this online form, and users enter any data at their own risk.

Please join us for the festival – wherever you have come from, you will be warmly welcomed.

 

 

Details

Opening Times

6pm 30th June – 2pm 2nd July

General Enquiries

View event location

Location

Ware

23 Loxley Ct, Ware SG12 9FF, UK

Find directions to the Event

Waterway underfunding

Hundreds of miles of waterways – along with their unique heritage and habitats – are currently starved of funding and rely on constant lobbying by us to safeguard their future.

Sustainable Boating

We want boating on canals and rivers to be more sustainable and – even though the current overall contribution to UK carbon emissions is very small – we want to help reduce emissions on the waterways.

Waterways Heritage at Risk

Britain’s canals and rivers are a unique, living heritage. But that heritage is at risk – from urban development, lack of protection, loss of skills and knowledge and climate change.

You can help Save Waterways Heritage.

Waterway restoration

Restoring the UK’s blue infrastructure – our inherited network of navigable canals and rivers – is good for people and places.