🎉 Bedford River Festival is a fantastic free event with so much on offer across the weekend for the whole family, with multiple music and performance stages, dragon boat races, raft races, food & drink, dedicated Sports and Family Villages, the Green Earth Lounge, arts & crafts, food & drink, water sports, funfair, Festival of Motoring and so much more!

🗓 2026 DATES & TIMES
▪️Saturday 18th July: 10am - 10.30pm
▪️Sunday 19th July: 10am - 8pm

🌟 ILLUMINATED BOAT LIGHT PARADE: ▪️Saturday 18th July: Approx 9pm

🎶 SATURDAY 18TH JULY MAIN STAGE
11:30am - Song Squad
1:00pm - Chloë Wilson
2:00pm - Dois Padres
3:00pm - Gemma Rogers
4:00pm - Not A Band
5:30pm - Sambroso Allstars
7:10pm - The Beat ft. Rankin Junior
9:00pm.- The Rave Returns - The Drum & Bass Band

🚣‍♀️ SATURDAY 18TH JULY MAIN RIVER
▪️2pm-2:30pm - The Martyn Pearson Grand Parade of Cabin Cruisers
▪️4pm-4:30pm - The Martyn Pearson Grand Parade of Narrow Boats
▪️9:00pm (approximately)- Illuminated Boat Light Parade

🎶 SUNDAY 19TH JULY MAIN STAGE
11:30am -  Bedford Rock Choir
1:00pm - The Greensands
2:00pm - Bold As Love
3:15pm - The Ouse Valley Singles Club
4:55pm - Laid Blak
6:30pm - Uncle Funk’s Disco Inferno

🚣‍♀️ SUNDAY 19TH JULY MAIN RIVER
▪️12:00pm - Stand Up Paddleboard Race
▪️1:00pm-1:30pm - The Martyn Pearson Grand Parade of Cabin Cruisers
▪️1:30pm-2:00pm - The Martyn Pearson Grand Parade of Narrow Boats
▪️2:45pm-3:00pm - Raft Race Heat 1
▪️3:00pm-3:15pm - Raft Race Heat 2
▪️3:30pm-3:45pm - Raft Race Final

WHAT TO EXPECT ALL WEEKEND
🍔 Food & Drink Options
(Vegan & Gluten free available)

🎷 Bands on the Bridge

🚘 Bedford Festival of Motoring and Bedford Music Service Stage

🎶 Mill Meadows and Community Stage

🧘‍♀️ Green Earth Village and The Embankment

🚣‍♂️ River activities

🎉 Russell Park & Main Stage

👨‍👩‍👦 St Mary’s Gardens, Family Island including SEND

💦 Sports Island and Water Sports Arena

🅿️♿️ BLUE BADGE PARKING
There will be a designated car park available for blue badge holders only off Longholme Way/Cardington Road roundabout. The postcode is MK42 0BX, and in St Marys Car Park (in between Borough Hall and Bedford College) Cauldwell Street (MK42 9AP). A blue badge will be required.

❓️FAQ'S

🅿️ River Festival parking and travel Infomation See here.

🎉 Bedford River Festival is a fantastic free event with so much on offer across the weekend for the whole family, with multiple music and performance stages, dragon boat races, raft races, food & drink, dedicated Sports and Family Villages, the Green Earth Lounge, arts & crafts, food & drink, water sports, funfair, Festival of Motoring and so much more!

🗓 2026 DATES & TIMES
▪️Saturday 18th July: 10am - 10.30pm
▪️Sunday 19th July: 10am - 8pm

🌟 ILLUMINATED BOAT LIGHT PARADE: ▪️Saturday 18th July: Approx 9pm

🎶 SATURDAY 18TH JULY MAIN STAGE
11:30am - Song Squad
1:00pm - Chloë Wilson
2:00pm - Dois Padres
3:00pm - Gemma Rogers
4:00pm - Not A Band
5:30pm - Sambroso Allstars
7:10pm - The Beat ft. Rankin Junior
9:00pm.- The Rave Returns - The Drum & Bass Band

🚣‍♀️ SATURDAY 18TH JULY MAIN RIVER
▪️2pm-2:30pm - The Martyn Pearson Grand Parade of Cabin Cruisers
▪️4pm-4:30pm - The Martyn Pearson Grand Parade of Narrow Boats
▪️9:00pm (approximately)- Illuminated Boat Light Parade

🎶 SUNDAY 19TH JULY MAIN STAGE
11:30am -  Bedford Rock Choir
1:00pm - The Greensands
2:00pm - Bold As Love
3:15pm - The Ouse Valley Singles Club
4:55pm - Laid Blak
6:30pm - Uncle Funk’s Disco Inferno

🚣‍♀️ SUNDAY 19TH JULY MAIN RIVER
▪️12:00pm - Stand Up Paddleboard Race
▪️1:00pm-1:30pm - The Martyn Pearson Grand Parade of Cabin Cruisers
▪️1:30pm-2:00pm - The Martyn Pearson Grand Parade of Narrow Boats
▪️2:45pm-3:00pm - Raft Race Heat 1
▪️3:00pm-3:15pm - Raft Race Heat 2
▪️3:30pm-3:45pm - Raft Race Final

WHAT TO EXPECT ALL WEEKEND
🍔 Food & Drink Options
(Vegan & Gluten free available)

🎷 Bands on the Bridge

🚘 Bedford Festival of Motoring and Bedford Music Service Stage

🎶 Mill Meadows and Community Stage

🧘‍♀️ Green Earth Village and The Embankment

🚣‍♂️ River activities

🎉 Russell Park & Main Stage

👨‍👩‍👦 St Mary’s Gardens, Family Island including SEND

💦 Sports Island and Water Sports Arena

🅿️♿️ BLUE BADGE PARKING
There will be a designated car park available for blue badge holders only off Longholme Way/Cardington Road roundabout. The postcode is MK42 0BX, and in St Marys Car Park (in between Borough Hall and Bedford College) Cauldwell Street (MK42 9AP). A blue badge will be required.

❓️FAQ'S

🅿️ River Festival parking and travel Infomation See here.