Blackbeard’s Tea Party Ely Folk Festival

Last week we enjoyed our annual St George’s Fayre which takes place in the town of March, where our marina is located.  Visitors enjoyed a free programme of arts, music, demonstrations, displays, dance, comedy and food.

If you missed this event you could still combine this year’s narrowboat holiday with one of these festivals this summer.

1) Strawberry Fayre

This renowned, free music festival had been going for over 40 years, before it was rudely interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. This year it returns on Saturday 3^rd June and the theme is Revolution. It always begins with a parade around Cambridge’s city centre, and then returns to Midsummer Common for the main event. There are usually over a dozen stages, and marquees offering entertainment until 11pm. Each year the fayre attracts over 30,000 visitors. Strawberry Fayre is run entirely by volunteers dedicated to giving Cambridge a free day out. Check out the Strawberry Fair website  to find out more.

Cambridge is worth visiting at any time of year because of the world famous colleges, art galleries, history, shops and restaurants. To get to Cambridge from March by narrowboat you’ll pass through the Middle Levels, and up the Ely section of the Great Ouse. When in Cambridge your cruise will take you through Midsummer Common to Jesus Green where there are public moorings. You won’t be stuck for things to see and do.

2) March Fest

The 2023 March Summer Festival is also free and will be in West End Park, March, on 9^th, 10th and 11th June.

Friday night is ‘Rock in the Park’ and on Saturday there will be a craft fair with, kids zone, live music on an open air stage, a variety of food stalls, a classic car show, dance tent and fair ground rides.

Sunday will be a picnic in the park aimed at children of all ages. There will also be a dog show, circus skills workshop, face painting, live music on the main stage and a junior disco.

Our hire boat base is in March and you will quickly arrive at the town centre. You could start or end your narrowboat hire holiday with this festival giving you a summer to remember.

3) Ely’s Aquafest

A return trip by narrowboat from March to Ely takes approximately 18 hours. There are visitor moorings on the waterfront when you get there. Our boating customers like to visit the antiques centre, the city centre shops, the famous Ely Cathedral and the museum at Oliver Cromwell’s House.  Instead of returning to March you can also carry on towards Cambridge.

If you visit Ely on Sunday 2^nd July you’ll be moored in the middle of Aquafest. This family-friendly event takes place at three riverside locations: Lavender Green, Jubilee Gardens and the Maltings Green. There is usually a fun fair, beer tent, burger bar and stalls. Everyone likes the raft race, featuring numerous decorated rafts. To find out more about this free festival visit Aquafest.

4) Ely Folk Festival

If you book a boating holiday around 7^th July you could experience three days of great music at one of the UK’s top weekend folk events. Ely Folk Festival offers a real ale bar, lots of kids activities, morris dancing displays, ceilidhs, workshops and music sessions. Tickets are available in advance at Ely Folk Festival.

If you’d like to travel to one of these festivals by narrowboat checkout our bookings page now, and see if your boat of choice is available for the dates you want.

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Photo Credit: cc-sa-4.0 GiddyStu

The post Our Top 4 Summer Festivals to Visit by Narrowboat appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

4 festivals in Cambridge. 3 Free Summer Festivals by #Narrowboat

We’ve already kicked off the festival season this year with St George’s Fayre here in March, and we are now looking forward to a summer full of fun in Cambridgeshire. If you love live music why not combine your narrowboat holiday with one of these free outdoor events?

1) Strawberry Fayre

This popular, free festival has been going for over 40 years, and this year will be held on June 2^nd 2018. The day begins with a parade that goes around Cambridge’s city centre, and then returns to Midsummer Common for the start of the fair at midday. There will be over a dozen stages, marquees and areas of entertainment, continuing all day until the festival finale at 10.30pm.

Strawberry Fair is entirely volunteer run, and attracts over 30,000 visitors. Check out the Strawberry Fair website  to find out more about this colourful celebration of music and art.

To get to Cambridge from March by boat you’ll pass through the Middle Levels, and up the Ely section of the Great Ouse. When in Cambridge your cruise will actually take you through Midsummer Common and onwards to Jesus Green and the public moorings near the limit of the navigation. When Strawberry Fayre is over there is plenty more to see in this world famous University City.

2) March Fest

The 2018 March Summer Festival will be in West End Park, March from 8th to 10th June. Our narrowboat hire base is in the town of March, on the Middle Level Waterways, close to the River Ouse and River Nene. At this free festival there will be an open air stage and activities appealing to all ages. Live music ranges from pop, dance and jazz, to brass and folk. There are always plenty of food stalls and a funfair too. The festival attracts hundreds of people, but after you’ve enjoyed the music, parade, classic vehicles and floats, stalls and amusements you can head back to your own cosy holiday narrowboat for some peaceful downtime. Alternatively, just visit March for the day and try out the boat trips we offer here during the festival.

3) Ely’s Aquafest

March to Ely is approximately an 18 hour return trip by boat, and the Aquafest enters it’s 40^th year in 2018! On Sunday 1^st July Aquafest will be covering three premier sites along the riverside, Lavender Green, Jubilee Gardens and the Maltings Green, and it attracts families of all ages and interests.

Come for the fun fair, beer tent, burger bar and stalls – and stay for the Annual Raft Race on the River Ouse, with numerous decorated rafts. The two arenas will provide varied entertainment throughout the day, often featuring local talent. There will be music, dancing, interesting demonstration and audience participation. To find out more visit Aquafest.

While you’re moored at the pleasant and busy waterfront in Ely, don’t miss the city centre shops, famous cathedral and the museum at Oliver Cromwell’s House.  The Stained Glass Museum at the cathedral is stunning, and Ely is also well-known for the Antiques Centre close to the river.

4) Ely Folk Festival

This festival isn’t free but it’s worth a mention. It’s an intimate and friendly little folk and roots festival running from 13^th to 15^th July.

Visitors can enjoy a real ale bar, kids’ activities, Morris dancing displays, ceilidhs, workshops and music sessions. Many live-aboard boaters love a bit of folk and a real ale, so why not join them for the weekend this year? Check out Ely Folk Festival. Early bird tickets are on sale until 31^st May.

If you’d like your narrowboat holiday this year to coincide with one of these free festivals checkout our bookings page now, and see if your boat of choice is available for the dates you want.

Get more local events and holiday inspiration sent directly to your inbox: Look for ‘Follow Blog’ in the sidebar to the right. (We never send salesy stuff or spam, just a boaty article twice a month!)

The post Our Top 3 Free Summer Festivals by Narrowboat appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.