Canal Events & Festivals 2026 - 2027

We look forward to welcoming you all in 2026. Friday May 1st 5pm to Monday May 4th 5pm. Friday 5pm till 11pm: Live music and a real ale bar. Saturday & Sunday: Traders 10am till 5pm. Live music and a real ale bar 12 midday till 11pm. Monday: Traders and live music 10am till 5pm. Real ale bar 12 midday till 5pm. Don’t forget the Great Droitwich Annual Duck Race on Bank Holiday Monday at 4.30pm. Great cash prizes to be won. Buy your tickets at the Canal Society gazebo. For enquiries please email: strichardsinfo@wbdcs.org.uk

IWA Canalway Cavalcade returns to London’s Little Venice on Saturday 2nd May 2026 for the full early May Bank Holiday weekend. Each year we celebrate the best of life on the waterways in London and its community at IWA Canalway Cavalcade.

It will be roughly the same format as this year but obviously still in the planning stages with securing adjoining venues We intend to have the whole section from above Batchworth Lock to just above Stockers Lock. We will have daytime entertainment with music, boat activities as before and we will have boaters only night on the Friday with something else on the Saturday. Trading 10am till 5pm Sat and Sun

The Moira Canal Festival is a family event to be held every year on the restored section of the Ashby Canal, at the historic Moira Furnace Museum. It aims to raise awareness of, and money for, the restoration, extension and maintenance of the Ashby Canal. The Ashby Canal is being restored from its current terminus at Snarestone to Moira, Leicestershire. This major project will ultimately reconnect Measham, Oakthorpe, Donisthorpe and Moira to the national waterways network, and provide a green gateway to the Heart of the National Forest.

Organised by leading media outlet for the inland waterways, Waterways World and backed by Canal & River Trust, Crick Boat Show is the biggest inland waterways event of the year, receiving over 26,000 visitors during the course of the Show. In addition to opportunities to promote your business or organisation on the ground, the Show offers the widest and deepest reach to the inland waterways community of any media organisation. Build your presence in advance via our 50,000+ audience, during and after the show, combining digital, social media, print and PR. The event brings together every facet of the inland waterways community - waterways users, prospective boat owner and industry. Whether your objective is to sell more, meet new and old customers, increase your leads, or to network – the show offers solutions to grow your business. Trade & Preview Day offers a unique and focussed opportunity for you to meet with industry professionals, develop relationships and source products and services to enhance your business.

There is an exciting opportunity for floating traders to join us at Leicester Riverside Festival 2026 on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 June as part of our Floating Market. The event attracts up to 75,000 people across the whole weekend. With fun on and off the water, there’s something for everyone and we invite you to join us on the river to make 2026 the best floating market yet.

FREE ENTRY – 10am to 3pm Come along and join us for our Canal Festival on the 8th of June, 10am till 3pm. A fun activity day packed with live entertainment, canal crafts, demonstrations, roving traders & much more!

Hugely popular working narrowboats rally - the UK's largest! Well over 80 historic boats gather and take part in parades... Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally Celebrating the heart of canal heritage. Join us for one of the UK’s best-loved canal events — the Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally, a weekend dedicated to celebrating the rich legacy of Britain's inland waterways. Held annually at Braunston Marina — this vibrant event attracts dozens of beautifully restored historic boats, passionate boaters, and thousands of visitors from across the country.

Get ready! Linslade Canal Festival returns to Tiddenfoot Waterside Park on Saturday, 25th July 2026! This one-day event is all about celebrating canal life, conservation, the countryside, and the charm of traditional rural crafts. Step into a world of craftsmanship with traditional craft demonstrators showcasing skills that will leave you in awe – from stick makers and skep builders to wood carvers, there’s something for everyone. Local charities passionate about the natural environment will be there to share knowledge and inspire. Wander along the tow-path and be captivated by the working, trade, and pleasure boats joining the festivities. Trade boats offer a chance to snag handmade treasures and canal-themed memorabilia, while historic working boats transport you back in time to the canal’s golden days.