Tidefest

Martin Salter

Pictures by Anna Kunst

We are delighted to announce that following the continued easing of the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions Thames Tidefest 2021 will definitely being going ahead as planned on Sunday September 12th at Strand on the Green, Chiswick and other venues along the Thames Tideway. However, as last year, most of the events in our reduced programme will have to be pre- booked. Tidefest is now in its 8th year and celebrates the recreational opportunities available on the River Thames in London with activities for all the family. These include paddle boarding, kayaking, foreshore walks, island visits, London’s biggest angling competition and much more. Local wildlife organisations, river and environmental groups and community associations have been involved in organising Tidefest since its inception in 2014. It is part of the month long Totally Thames Festival and is sponsored by Thames Water with support from the London Borough of Hounslow, Thames Festival, Port of London Authority and the Environment Agency. Visitors can enjoy river dipping with experts to discover what lives in the Thames or find some hidden corners with trips to the historic Oliver’s Island or the Eel Pie Island museum - celebrating the 60s music venue which saw the start of the careers of Eric Clapton and The Rolling Stones. Tidefest is now a well-established annual event with a loyal band of followers who turn out every year. It is an event which aims to help reconnect Londoners with their river and we do this by getting into and onto the water through a whole range of educational and recreational activities. The Thames holds over 120 different species of fish and is home to a tremendous array of birds yet surprisingly few people are aware of what a great resource we have here in the heart of London. Please put September 12th in your diary and visit our website to find out what the River Thames has to offer.

Full details including ticket bookings can be found at www.thamestidefest.net and on our Facebook page. Martin Salter is from the Angling Trust and is Chairman of Tidefest.