Reading Water Fest brochure 2024

We’re celebrating 35 wonderful Water Fest years with a programme full of fun, music, dance and activities.

Water Fest is Reading’s way of celebrating and showing off the Kennet Canal in all its glory, along with the gorgeous and historic spots on its towpath. Visitors can take in the sights and sounds as they wander through Chestnut Walk, Riverside Walk, Forbury Gardens and the renowned Abbey Ruins. En route you’ll see some beautifully painted boats and meet some of the friendly boaters keen to chat about life on board.

Water Fest is brought to you by Reading Borough Council in partnership with the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust. This hard-working charity is committed to enhancing and promoting the canal for people to enjoy – both on and off the water!

Find out more at www.katrust.org.uk, ring them on 01380 721279 or visit their stand along the Water Fest route.

The Station Hill team is proud to sponsor Reading Water Fest 2024

Station Hill – delivered by a joint venture between Lincoln and MGT– is the landmark, 2.5 million sq ft mixed-use development adjacent to Reading station, home to the Elizabeth Line. It seeks to achieve the highest accreditations for environmental standards. The development will offer up to 1,300 homes – including ‘Ebb & Flow’ in Friars Walk – around 625,000 sq ft of best-in-class office space – including ‘ONE Station Hill’ adjacent to Reading station – and two acres of public realm and other spaces at ground level offering a range of retail and leisure uses through an investment of around £50 million in social infrastructure, landscaping and improved pedestrian accessibility.

The centre of Reading is undergoing a dramatic transformation of which Station Hill is a key element. High profile events like Water Fest serve to showcase the town more widely and the diverse range of activities which it offers to those visiting, living and working in Reading.

We wish everyone attending Reading Water Fest 2024 all the best for a great day out!

More information on Station Hill at: www.stationhill.co.uk

To find out more about living at Ebb & Flow, contact us at: www.ebb-and-flow.co.uk

This year the Forbury Gardens will host Blue Collar in the Forbury, the annual celebration of Street Food brought to you by Blue Collar - with their ultimate selection of food stalls there is so much choice you will be sure to find something to enjoy!

Forbury Gardens

Relax on the deck chairs and seating, visit the Blue Collar bar featuring Pimm’s, prosecco and draft beer from local brewery Double-Barrelled, or dig into food from around the world, including gourmet burgers, loaded fries, Peruvian, hot dogs, vegan, vegetarian and much more.

Tomatopia is a new approach to energy supply, uniting local communities to enjoy the collective benefits of sustainable energy. By signing up you’ll get solar panels and battery storage included with your electricity. Prices start at £80p/m.

Style Revived: Fashioning Sustainability at Reading Water Fest sponsored by

Charity Super.Mkt comes to Water Fest

Imagine a store where fashion meets philanthropy, and every purchase is a step towards a brighter future!

The Charity Super.Mkt is not your average high-street shop — it’s a celebration of style, sustainability, and social impact.

At the helm of the fashion revolution are Maria Chenoweth, CEO of the sustainable clothing charity, TRAID, and Wayne Hemingway of HemingwayDesign and co-founder of iconic brand Red or Dead. Together, they’re transforming the high-street shopping experience into something extraordinary.

The Water Fest Charity Super.Mkt pop-up event will have local and national charity retailers selling carefully curated collections of second-hand treasures, chic, pre-loved, clothing and accessories, each item carrying a story of its own. From trendy tops to vintage handbags, every pound you spend goes towards environmental initiatives and supporting good causes. Be sure to get there early to get first dibs.

The People’s Catwalk™

– where tradition meets modern expression in a celebration of personal style and community spirit.

Get ready to strut your stuff on the Water Fest People’s Catwalk, where thrifted gems take centre stage. Whether you’re a fashionista or a first-time thrifter, everyone is welcome to showcase their style in the historic setting of the Forbury Gardens. Saturday 8 June 2024. Catwalks at 2pm and 5pm!

The Reading Water Fest People’s Catwalk promises to be a joyous spectacle of style, featuring a diverse roll call of individuals, groups and communities from all walks of life, strutting their stuff in their finest attire. As long as it’s pre-loved, vintage or upcycled we want to see your outfits on display – no judgement here, just come along and take part in what promises to be a fantastic celebration of style.

Style Revived: Fashioning Sustainability at Reading Water Fest

Join textile experts from across Reading, for a series of free upcycling workshops at the Style Revived Workshop Marquee to give your beloved wardrobe staples a new lease of life!

Ever looked at a stained skirt or a ripped t-shirt and thought it was beyond repair? Think again! Discover the art of visible mending and transform these pieces into something new and unique. With the help of expert tutors, you can learn the art of Japanese Sashiko, embroidery, or simply mend some wear and tear.

Garment Upcycling with embroidery

led by Anurita Chandola 11am

– 1pm

Join us at Reading Water Fest on 8 June from 11am-1pm for a fun and free garment upcycling workshop! Led by Anurita Chandola, this workshop is all about giving your old clothes new life with embroidery.

Do you have clothes sitting in your closet that you don’t wear anymore? Instead of letting them go to waste, please bring them along! You don’t need any sewing skills for this workshop – everything you need will be provided.

Book your place in advance athttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/reading-water-festgarment-upcycling-with-embroidery-workshoptickets-909704539767?aff=oddtdtcreator

About the artist:

Anurita Chandola is an expert in sustainable fashion and textiles, offering valuable guidance on how to revitalise your wardrobe while minimising waste. With a rich background working with top fashion brands and showcasing her work in various art exhibitions, Anurita brings a wealth of experience to her craft. Currently, she’s delving into sustainable textiles and clothing tailored for Mars missions, showcasing her innovative approach. Inspired by her Indian heritage and a deep-rooted commitment to sustainability instilled by her mother, Anurita’s work centres on well-being and collaborative efforts to address sustainable fashion challenges. Anurita has spoken about her work at TEDx Bristol, underscoring her commitment to eco-conscious fashion.

Embrace the Imperfect:

Denim Visible Mending with Sashiko at Reading Water Fest! 1 – 3pm

This year’s Reading Water Fest is all about sustainable fashion, and what’s more sustainable than giving your own favourite clothes a new lease on life? Join us for a fun workshop on denim visible mending with Sashiko led by Mara Campbell of Reading Sewing Bee!

Bring a beloved denim garment in need of repair – a hole, a tear, a bit of wear and tear on your favourite pair of jeans or denim skirt, shirt or jacket. Don’t have one of these at hand? No worries! We’ll have a selection of denim scraps for you to practice on.

In this workshop, you’ll learn:

• The beautiful art of Sashiko stitching, a traditional Japanese technique for mending and embellishing fabrics.

• How to transform imperfections into artistic statements.

• Basic Sashiko stitches that are easy to master, even for beginners.

• How to mend your denim garment using Sashiko, giving it a unique and charming update.

Leave the workshop with:

• A repaired and revitalised garment you’ll love to wear again and again.

• New skills and techniques to keep your clothes looking their coolest.

• A newfound appreciation for the beauty of imperfection and the power of sustainable fashion.

Let’s work together to give your clothes a second chance! Join us at Reading Water Fest and discover the magic of Sashiko mending!

Book your place at -

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/embrace-the-imperfect-denim-visible-mendingwith-sashiko-at-water-fest-tickets-909712252837?aff=oddtdtcreator

Give Your Old Jeans a New Life at Reading Water Fest!

11.30am – 12.30pm

Join us at this year’s Reading Water Fest as we explore sustainable fashion and breathe new life into old clothes!

Did you know? The production of just one pair of jeans can use up to 10,000 litres of water and create a significant amount of pollution from dyes and chemicals. That’s a hefty price tag for our planet!

But there’s good news! By giving old jeans a second chance, we can reduce waste and embrace sustainable fashion. Join our interactive demo at Water Fest and discover the magic of denim upcycling!

In this activity, Mara Campbell of Reading Sewing Bee will show you how to transform your worn-out jeans into a variety of stylish and functional items. Some do not even require the use of a sewing machine or experience in sewing!

Get inspired by tote bags, placemats, coasters, aprons, bottle holders, cushion covers, and more, all made from repurposed denim. Learn simple techniques like cutting, fraying, and hand sewing that anyone can master. Let’s work together to keep denim out of landfills and add a touch of sustainable style to our life! See you at Reading Water Fest!

About the artist:

In another life, Mara Campbell was an audiovisual translator who owned a subtitling company for 20 years and sewed as a hobby, having learnt several textile arts and crafts from her grandmother and aunts.

One day, she realised life is short, and she’d rather be sewing.

So, she created Reading Sewing Bee, a sewing space for hire where sewers and crafters can make, create, and be inspired. She offers varied courses and workshops, some of which she teaches herself, and hopes to share her passion for repurposing, recycling, and sustainability, providing ideas and tools to embrace an alternative to fast fashion and disposable culture.

“Find a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life,” right? That is Mara loving sewing and not working.

Avant-Garde Fabric Jewellery Workshops

led by New Directions College 12:30pm - 2:30pm

Using remnants of old fabrics and found objects, you will create wearable art. In this experimental sewing workshop, you will use your artistic flair to express your innovative style through your handmade statement pieces. A selection of materials will be supplied, but please feel free to bring along your own fabric offcuts and broken jewellery or small found objects you would like to incorporate into your designs.

Get ready to adorn yourself with unique treasures crafted from recycled fabrics and found objects at Water Fest’s Fabric Jewellery Workshop! From old clothing scraps to forgotten trinkets, there’s no limit to what you can upcycle to create a one-of-a-kind necklace, bracelet, or a brooch. Led by skilled tutors, this hands-on workshop will teach you the art of fabric jewellery making, allowing you to repurpose textiles and repurpose objects in exciting new ways.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/avant-garde-fabric-jewellery-workshops-atwater-fest-tickets-909723506497?aff=oddtdtcreator

‘Reclaimed Runway: A Second-Hand

Fashion Affair’

Following the People’s Catwalk at 5pm, and to close the event, join us for a spectacular fusion of sustainability and style. ‘Reclaimed Runway: A ‘SecondHand Fashion Affair’ invites you to experience the magic of fashion reborn. Embrace the allure of pre-loved garments as they strut down the catwalk, each piece telling a unique story of renewal and reinvention. From vintage classics to modern treasures, witness the beauty of eco-conscious fashion in action. Join us as we celebrate the art of upcycling and redefine the notion of luxury. Get ready to be inspired, dazzled, and transformed at this unforgettable event where fashion meets sustainability in the most stylish way possible!

Community and Charity Stalls

And that’s not all……

Come and say hi to the volunteers from local charities and community groups who have set up stalls in the gardens to showcase all the vital work they do here in Reading. One of the highlights will be a 3D augmented reality experience with Zian Education Foundation.

AI experience of Reading Abbey

Credit: Reading Museum and Reading Borough Council for providing the 3D model of Reading Abbey. Have a go at time travel! Join a smartphone-based, 3D augmented reality experience, where you’ll wander the Abbey Ruins of today, whilst immersed in 12th Century Reading Abbey. This high-tech trip through ancient times is courtesy of local AR experiences creator VisiAR, as well as the Ziran Education Foundation, the new owner of Reading Gaol.

Come by the stand to step into Reading Abbey’s past, learn about Ziran’s plans for the Gaol’s future, and take home a free Oscar Wilde-themed souvenir!

Reading Climate Festival

Two weeks of events to inspire and support collective climate action in Reading 8 – 21 June 2024

www.readingcan.org.uk/festival

This year’s programme has over 30 events to help us create a climate-friendly town:

• A Big Lunch in Forbury Gardens with climate-friendly street food, music, and a samba parade for kids

• Support for organisations that want to measure, monitor and reduce their climate impacts

• Nature walks and talks, and a buzzy, immersive art installation in Broad Street

• Tips on how to create a warmer home and reduce energy bills

• A Youth Mobilisation Day for 16 – 25-year-olds

• …and much more.

The Festival’s closing event will be the University of Reading’s annual Show Your Stripes Day on 21 June 2024 – and everyone will have a chance to join the Reading Climate Pledge.

To get updates on the Festival programme, sign up to the ReadingCAN Newsletter and follow them on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @ReadingCAN.

View the programme and book events at readingcan.org.uk/festival.

Abbey Ruins

Head on through to the Abbey Ruins for a mix of traditional and contemporary music and dance across two stages. Our acoustic and dance stage will be located in the beautiful surroundings of the South Transept throughout the afternoon.

The Acoustic Stage at Reading Water Fest 2024 will bring lots of captivating music, dance and theatre performances!

Experience a scene from Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” performed by Reading’s amateur theatre group, Progress Theatre. Watch traditional and contemporary dances performed by Reading’s Aldbrickham Clog & Step Dancers, featuring dances from across the British Isles in authentic Victorian-era costumes.

Enjoy the heartfelt piano and vocal music of Maija, a Finnish pianist-singersongwriter with a classical background and lyrical inspiration from everyday life.

End the day at the Acoustic Stage with a captivating mix of folk, swing, blues, and classical music from the talented duo Simon Mayor and Hilary James, known for their global performances and BBC Radio features.

The South Transept will also play host to a whole range of historical and heritage stalls includng Reading Museum, Friends of Reading Abbey, Civic Society and The Confraternity of St James.

Join Museum on Wheels (Reading Museum and The MERL teams) to take part in a variety of family activities based on the theme of ‘Our Green Stories’. We will be handling natural history objects from our Loans Boxes and making some fabulous natural history themed craft!

There will also be the chance to meet characters from the Quarter, dressed in full replica costume while you enjoy your trip to Water Fest. In the event of bad weather, please head to Reading Museum.

Visit Chapter House on the day where there will be an onsite bar serving cans of locally brewed Double-Barrelled beers, cocktails, wines & soft drinks.

Dormitory

Jelly at Water Fest -

Saturday 8 June 11am - 5pm

Come and join Jelly at this year’s Water Fest and give your old clothes a new life at our Sustainable Printing workshop. Their team of artists will be there to assist you in exploring various printing techniques, including block printing and hand drawing on to fabrics. Bring along an item of clothing or a tote bag that you’d like to refresh and update. Please note, lighter coloured fabrics work best, you won’t be able to print on black fabric. Drop in - no pre booking required but please note that during busy periods, there might be a short wait at the printing table.

Show your Stripes Day -

Friday 21 June

Working with New Town Primary School, Jelly have delivered artist led workshops based on the theme ‘Leave No Trace’. Using the Japanese word Hirameki - ‘brainwave’ or ‘flash of inspiration’ as a focus - the artist-led sessions encouraged children to use their imaginations and to observe and look at things in a different way. Jelly introduced the idea of creating artwork from waste that will be recycled at the end of the session or collected up and used again - leaving no trace of its existence other than recording the process in imagery and film. The film will be shown across their social media platforms on Show your Stripes Day.

Blacksmith Demonstrations

Join John our blacksmith and his team in the Abbey Ruins who will be demonstrating a wide range of traditional Blacksmithing techniques. Why not have a go yourself and make an item to take home with you on the day?

The Global Festival stage

This years’ musical programme has been curated in partnership with the Reading Global Festival (“celebrating the grassroots sound of Reading - as varied and diverse as possible”). The thrilling result is that a greater variety of performers than ever before will be taking part in the day. Come and be part of the celebration of our shared sound!

Highlights include:

Reading Global Festival Stage

Enjoy a day of incredible music with a diverse lineup of talented artists. Experience the dynamic performance of Arash Shokouhi an accomplished drummer and recent music graduate, joined by Chris Mitchell.

Local legend Hugh Turner will lead his band in a set of original funk and jazz instrumentals. Feel the energy of Selina and the Howlin Dogs with their upbeat, modern funky blues rock.

Tongues of Fire will close the day at the Festival Stage with the unique blend of brass, reeds, and percussion, creating a joyful noise perfect for dancing and celebration.

On the Water

The beautifully painted boats will be moored along the length of the site and many of them will take part in two special parades throughout the day (weather and water permitting). They will then be judged in the best dressed boat competition. Take the opportunity to stop and chat to one of the boaters, some of who will also be judged on the day in ‘the best dressed boater’ competition. They will be more than happy to tell you about life on the water. You can also expect to see an extra special duck race!

Turbine House

Blake’s Lock Museum –

The Museum is based in two former industrial buildings and tells the story of Reading’s two rivers, the Kennet and the Thames. Kennet and Avon Canal Trust invite you to an outstanding exhibition celebrating the work of the trust.

Free entry at The Turbine House, Gas Works Road, Blakes Lock, Daily 10am - 6pm

Reflection Reflection

– A Turbine House Residency with local artists

Jim

Attewell

and Mark Webber

Two local artists, Mark Webber and Jim Attewell, are collaborating at the Turbine House from Saturday, 8 June to Sunday, 16 June. This exhibition reflects on the art they have created over the past decade.

The opening day aligns with Reading Water Fest, where both artists will showcase their works themed around ‘Water’, inviting the community to explore the flow of their artistic journeys.

Chestnut Walk

Wander down to Chestnut Walk, home to The Oscar Wilde Memorial Walk and also to the event’s craft avenue. Browse a range of handcrafted items and admire the beautifully painted narrowboats, new and old. Why not take a relaxing journey on one of the regular trips on the Kennet and Avon Canal Trusts narrowboat, running throughout the day.

We’ll once again be featuring a floating stage as part of the event. Be prepared to be entertained as you meander along Chestnut Walk by a range of local soloists and groups bringing a whole host of exciting new sounds to the Kennet.

Floating Stage

Enjoy a day of unforgettable music on the Floating Stage.

Kick off the day with acoustic classics from Steve Donnelly & Anne Lynch and the award-winning Americana-Folk duo, Tomorrow Bird.

Experience the folky-indy-bluesy pop-soul-rock sounds of Long Lane. This dynamic band, led by Andy Wenger, blends soulful cello, jaunty harmonica, and vibrant rhythms to create unforgettable music.

Immerse yourself in the sweeping soundscapes of Kezia Tomsett. This film composer and artist combines acoustic and electroacoustic elements with her ethereal voice to create rich, thematic music.

Riverside Walk

Huntley Wharf Stage

Join us on Riverside Walk for a day filled with fantastic performances and cultural experiences!

Tino Masanga, a Gospel singer/ songwriter will perform music which blends Southern African gospel and UK HipHop influences. Get ready to sing and dance with The Small Strings, a lively band that puts a unique ukulele twist on classic rock, pop, and soul tunes.

Enjoy a delightful performance by the over-50s dance group led by Sonia Brown.

Experience the evocative music My Northern Sky. Known for his rich, heartfelt vocals and film-like reflections, his songs have earned acclaim, including recognition

Join a range of local environmental groups and organisations which are running an array of climate focused workshops and activities at this year’s event. Following is the full timetable of these free fun workshops which will be running throughout the day.

Green Feather Flowers

Come and join your local eco-florist Green Feather Flowers for the “One Planet, One Reading - let’s come together for climate change” interactive demonstration in sustainable floristry. Learn about the origins of cut flowers that you come across in your daily life and ground your senses in nature by getting up close and personal to some beautiful local blooms and their floral symbolism. Then choose your favourite floral ingredients to contribute to a collaborative design that reflects your thoughts on climate change and will be on display throughout the rest of Water Fest for fellow visitors to enjoy. All ages and abilities welcome. (Please note: Children must be supervised by their guardians and people with plant allergies attend at their own risk.)

Becoming Mums

This year at Water Fest Becoming Mums are asking families to think about making positive changes in their world both on an environmental level and a mental health one.

• What do we envisage our futures to look like for us and our children?

• What are our hopes and dreams for a better world and how can we support each other on reaching them?

Participants can drop in at their stall to create postcards of hope for themselves and their community by using recycled materials, supplies, paints and fabrics - discussing what they can do to help aid the council’s pledge to be carbon neutral by 2030 and spreading hope and solidarity amongst their peers and neighbours.

Incredible Edible Reading and Food4Families

‘Windowsill Warriors’ - Making sprouting jars from recycled glass jars. Bring your own glass jar and Incredible Edible Reading will provide the other materials and seeds to grow food on your windowsill or desk at work.

Seed swap - Bring unwanted packets of seeds and swap them for something special from a vast seed library. Brought to the table by the Reading Food Growing Network.

Right to Grow campaign - This important campaign is empowering people across the UK to reclaim unused public spaces to grow fresh produce. The initiative offers a powerful example of communities taking action in addressing both the cost of living crisis and the climate emergency.

Head down to the Advice shop where experts can offer advice on a range of gardening topics and connect individuals and employers to food growing groups and volunteering opportunities.

RISC

‘Raise your Voice’ - With a display of young climate activists from around the world that represent the diversity within the fight for climate justice, RISC will run a placard making workshop. From choosing thought provoking images to thinking of dynamic slogans, they’ll help participants turn old cardboard into a way of making your voice heard.

Waste Wise

Earth Action Challenge with Nature Nurture

Join Nature Nurture for fun and games all about how we can look after our planet.

Waste not, want not! Explore practical ways to reduce food waste in your own homes, thinking about the importance of food storage, creative use of leftovers, and composting.

Recycling Race

Ready to test your recycling skills? Join this fun and exciting timed challenge to learn how to recycle and sort waste properly.

Fast Fashion Fix Up

Learn how to make more sustainable clothing choices and reduce the environmental footprint of your wardrobe. Ready, set, shop smart!

Pollinators Paradise

Let’s make a habitat for the bees! Make and take wildflowers and have a go at the ‘waggle dance’ to find the pollen!

Come and meet the Goddess of the Rivers, receive a blessing and take part in a water ceremony honouring the waters of our land, at 12.30pm - if you would like to take part, please bring water from your local river or stream.

This performance will offer you a chance to come onto better relationship with our much troubled water and to pledge yourself as a water defender. Without water there is no life.

Meet at Riverside Walk (opposite Chocolate Island) at 11am for an address to the local waters, followed by a water ceremony at 12.30pm, and a final chance for blessing at 2pm.

There will be a water shrine set up on site during the day.

Shows at: 11-11.30am, 12.30 - 1pm, 2 - 2.30pm

The River Goddess at Water Fest

The Kennet and Avon Canal Trust

Canal Trust restored the Canal back to a navigable waterway, and it was fully reopened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1990. We are now in the 34th year of this enormous effort and are conscious of the high use and deterioration that the waterway has been subjected to over time. We have projects and plans to support the authorities to make the Kennet and Avon a thriving asset to the community and the environment.

Today is an opportunity to remember the achievements but also to look at the plans that the Trust has going forward –talk to our volunteers at Chestnut Walk and find out the details. The Reading Branch has some ambitious plans this year, and with pandemic and lockdown now largely out of the way we have a keen lock flight to climb.

The Waterways network nationally is in need of funding and support.This is both Canal and River Trust (old British Waterways) and the Environment Agency, the government body that absorbed,for us, the Thames Conservancy. Reading is unusual in that the navigable waterways through the town come under both navigation authorities. This year we have seen an increase of rain and waterflow. The stretch between County Lock and Blakes lock has effectively been on “Red Boards” between late October and early May. This has meant we have been unable to move Matilda Too in this time. The last few weeks has seen huge effort to get the waterways open for traffic. While writing this there is still a lock to have major repairs, four sandbanks to be dredged away and two large trees to be removed from the channel to allow boats to get from Newbury to

Reading. So, from a boat point of view our thanks go out to those that managed to make the trip.

It is for this reason we are supporting and promoting the IWA’s “Fund British Waterways campaign” this year. At a time where we have seen drought (last summer) and floods this winter, we believe that it is a bad idea to reduce the funding on the agencies that are tasked with managing the rivers and canals that make up our waterways.

We began our trip boat adventure on Matilda, which began its two-year trial just six months before COVID. The trial was successful, with many thanks to David Dare and Oxfordshire Narrowboats for their help and support. The branch has now obtained a permanent replacement to operate the trips from Reading. Over last year we had help from Marcus Marine and ABC boats in Aldermaston to get Matilda Too up to standard to operate the trips. We began this year’s trip season in mid-May (much later than we hoped) and were greeted on these first days with enthusiasm and great feedback from satisfied customers.

Matilda Too will be on show today and will be running the regular trips every weekend until the end of October. Look on the trust web site www.katrust.org.uk or email Matilda@katrust.org.uk for more details. We believe that Matilda gives visitors a different view of Reading with the excitement of cruising through the Oracle and absorbing the history of industrial Reading and the fascination of the Abbey. Our long-term plans, If all goes well, is to start raising the funds to acquire an electric boat to join the fleet of four other trip boats between here and Bristol. Talk to our team in Chestnut Walk about our electric boat trial being worked on by our colleagues at Bruce Branch of the Trust. Hopefully, their boat

Rebecca will be available to have a look at and discuss its features (its coming from Great Bedwyn so has to get through the hurdles mentioned above).

Heading out of town, but still within the Reading Branch area, we have an 18thcentury building that was a toll house for the canal company and later as a wash house taking in boaters’ laundry. This is a listed building and sits in the grounds of one of the Trust’s four tea rooms along the waterway. The Aldermaston Tea Rooms is certainly worth a visit. The Toll / Wash house has been fitted out by the Trust as an information centre and has displays and information looking at the history of the navigation and the Trust.

Another project we are looking to work on is our 1st mile project looking at enhancing the waterway from the confluence with the Thames up to County Lock, approximately a mile. This stretch comes under two council authorities and two water authorities and so has been left to fall into some disarray. We have had some initial meetings and discussions bringing the various parties together allowing plans and agreements that will see Reading’s waterways as an asset and something we can be proud of. As a Trust, we are always looking for new people to volunteer, so if you fancy helping crew Matilda, help in the restoration of the Toll House, assist with the Long-Life Lock project or just keep up to speed with happenings on the river that Reading is truly “on”, go and talk to our folk at Chestnut Walk and become a member… But most of all, enjoy the waterside and enjoy the day.

Performance and Activity

On the Water

12.15pm Arrival of the Deputy Mayor

1pm Boat Parade #1

2pm Devizes to Westminster Race demonstration (TBC) And demonstration by Berkshire Lowlands Rescue

3pm Boat Parade #2

4pm Duck Race

Reading Global Festival Stage

11:25am Arash Shokouhi & Chris Mitchell

12:20pm Hugh Turner Band

1:15pm Glass Half Broken

2:10pm Selina and the Howlin Dogs

3:05pm The Bluepers

4pm Tongues of Fire

Acoustic Stage

11:20am Progress Theatre

12:15pm Rich Meehan Trio

1:15pm Aldbrickham Clog & Step Dancers

2:10pm Harmonic Motion

3:05pm Maija

4:10pm Simon Mayor and Hilary James

Activity Timetable

Floating Stage –Chestnut Walk

11.30am Steve Donnelly & Anne Lynch

12:30pm Tomorrow Bird

1:30pm Long Lane

2:30pm Nicole Allan

3:30pm Kezia Tomsett

4:30pm DVI Doli

Riverside Walk Stage

11:30am Tino Masanga

12:30pm The Small Strings

1:30pm Dance Group with Sonia Brown

2:30pm My Northern Sky

3:30pm Bengali Cultural Society

4:30pm Janelle Lau

Getting

The Water Fest site is just a few minutes walk from the town centre and 5 minutes walk from Reading Railway Station and all main bus routes.

Pay parking is available at car parks throughout the centre of Reading, the nearest being the council-run Queen’s Road multi-storey.

Queen’s Road car park will be signed and you can pick up pedestrian signs on leaving the car park. Should Queen’s Road car park be full, please use alternative car parks listed on the live signs located at intervals throughout the town centre.

Getting There

Water Fest 2024 is organised by Reading Borough Council in partnership with the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust.

Every effort has been made to ensure that details in this programme were correct at the time of going to press. However, Reading Borough Council, cannot accept responsibility for any changes, amendments and cancellations of any events or activities listed, nor any inaccuracies which may have been printed in error. Adverse weather conditions may cause some events to be cancelled or rescheduled.

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of advertisements or sponsorships contained in this publication, Reading Borough Council cannot accept liability for errors and/or omissions. We will not accept any responsibility for claims made by advertisers or sponsors and their inclusion in (name of publication) and this should not be taken as an endorsement by Reading Borough Council.

Station Hill – one of the largest Thames Valley regeneration projects in decades – is proud to sponsor Reading Water Fest 2024.

Station Hill is providing new homes, including apartments at Ebb & Flow, employment opportunities and a significant area of landscaped public realm in the

As Water Fest celebrates its 35th anniversary, we look forward to welcoming everyone participating in and hope you have a fabulous time on 8 June!

More information on Station Hill at: www.stationhill.co.uk

To find out more about living at Ebb & Flow, contact us at: www.ebb-and-flow.co.uk centre of Reading for those visiting, living and working in the town.