18th May 2012
SPECTACULAR RIVER FESTIVAL ATTRACTS RECORD CROWDS
16th Aug 2006
Over 300,000 people from across the region descended on Bedford on the 15th and 16th July for the 19th River Festival organised by Bedford Borough Council. The record number of visitors was helped by the glorious weather which made sure the carnival atmosphere lasted all weekend.
Kicking-off with the Carnival Parade on Saturday, highlights included the dragon boat and raft races, It’s A Knockout competition, a fantastic firework display on the Saturday evening and a free concert by the world-renowned Philharmonia Orchestra on Sunday evening for the grand finale. And it wasn’t just the old favourites that attracted the crowds. Festival-goers were wowed by the daredevil BASE jumpers who flung themselves from a massive crane and parachuted back down to the ground.
Commenting on the record attendance, Events & Marketing Manager Andy Pidgen said: “The number of people completely exceeded our expectations. I heard of some people that had spent a week travelling to Bedford on the river routes to enjoy the festival and thirty coach loads of people came from all over the country. It just goes to show how popular the River Festival has become.”
Bedford Development Agency Board Member and MD of Axis Electronics, Phil Inness also lauded the success of the festival, “At one point I looked along the river from the bridge and had to pinch myself to remind myself where I was! The river, with all the cruisers and boats looked splendid. There was loads going on, great friendly atmosphere, good quality entertainment and a good mix of community events. Many thanks to all involved in the organising - I thought it was a great credit to Bedford and exactly the sort of thing that will help put us on the map.’’
The River Festival was also a tremendous success for local businesses in many ways;
• The massive additional visitor spend into the Town’s economy
• The sponsorship opportunities for companies to put themselves in the shop window
• Fun occasion for team building through the river activities and It’s a Knockout competition
• Showcasing Bedford as a destination for leisure, tourism and new investment
• Raising the profile of Bedford as a great place to live
It’s never too early to start planning - If you would like your company to be part of the next Festival in 2008, please drop the Events team an email at events@bedford.gov.uk to register your interest.
